Neighborhood history
South Park and East Raleigh
A future reported guide to the people, places, architecture, and community memory that shaped this historic part of Raleigh.
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Drake Magazine city desk
Raleigh
The City of Oaks, and our home base.
Culture, community, history, and the people shaping North Carolina’s capital—reported from the city where Drake began.
From the Raleigh desk
The city, reported
Cover Story
Built in Raleigh
Inside the new Black creative economy reshaping the City of Oaks — one storefront, studio and supper club at a time.
Imani Whitfield · September 4, 2026 · 12 min
City notes
A living guide to Raleigh
This hub brings Drake’s published Raleigh coverage together with clearly marked assignments still in development.
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Archive & memory
Raleigh History
Historic neighborhoods, institutions, people, and milestones—built as a carefully reported city archive.
Institutional legacy
The Shaw University story
A forthcoming archival feature on Shaw University’s place in Raleigh and the wider history of Black higher education.
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Historic places
Reading Historic Oakwood
A future visual history connecting neighborhood preservation, architecture, and the communities around downtown Raleigh.
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Make a day of it
Things to Do in Raleigh
Museums, parks, shopping, family activities, entertainment, and local experiences worth planning around.
Arts & culture
A guide to Raleigh’s museums and cultural spaces
An editor-curated guide will bring together current exhibitions, cultural attractions, and practical visitor details.
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Parks & family
A day outside in Raleigh
A verified itinerary of parks, greenways, family activities, and seasonal outdoor experiences is in development.
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Shopping & local finds
Independent Raleigh, block by block
A forthcoming shopping guide focused on local makers, bookstores, boutiques, markets, and neighborhood finds.
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The calendar
All events Upcoming Events
Dates and details currently listed in Drake Magazine’s event calendar. Confirm with the organizer before attending.
More North Carolina events coming soon
From the archive
Events You May Have Missed
Recaps, photo highlights, interviews, and the stories that remain after the room clears.
Photo recap
Raleigh, in the room
Photo highlights, interviews, and reported recaps from past Raleigh gatherings will live here after publication.
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Interview archive
The conversations after the event
A developing archive for artist talks, organizer interviews, and voices captured across the city.
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Community, history, future
Black Raleigh
A dedicated home for Black history, enterprise, art, leadership, organizations, and cultural legacy across the city.
Cultural legacy
Mapping Black Raleigh
A deeply reported timeline of institutions, neighborhoods, leaders, and milestones will anchor this growing archive.
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Community resources
Organizations doing the work
A verified, regularly reviewed guide to Raleigh organizations and community resources is being assembled.
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Built in Raleigh
Inside the Black creative economy reshaping the City of Oaks.
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People shaping the city
Local Spotlights
Residents, creators, business owners, and community leaders represented in Drake’s existing editorial data.
Yvette Carrington
Founder, Southeast Raleigh Business Alliance
Has helped more than 200 owners secure their first commercial lease.
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Chef Andre Blake
Chef-Owner, Oak & Ember Kitchen
Came home from New Orleans to build a wood-fired Southern kitchen on his own block.
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Kaydence Hall
Raleigh artist
Shaw graduate whose live band arrangements sell out three-hundred-cap rooms.
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Eat, drink, stay out
Full directoryFood & Nightlife
Restaurants, cafés, lounges, and local dining highlights currently represented in Drake’s Raleigh directory.
Restaurant
Oak & Ember Kitchen
Southeast Raleigh
Wood-fired Southern cooking from a chef who trained in New Orleans and came home to build.
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Coffee
Persimmon Coffee Co.
Person Street
Single-origin pours, sweet potato lattes and the best corner table in the neighborhood.
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Bar & Lounge
The Velvet Room
Warehouse District
Low light, high-end cocktails and a Thursday residency that fills up by ten.
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Professional Services
Oaks Legal Group
Raleigh
Small-business and estate practice built for first-generation owners.
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Beauty
Sable & Sage Skincare
Raleigh
Facials formulated for melanin-rich skin, plus a small-batch product line.
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Raleigh city desk
Community News
Neighborhood stories, education, civic updates, and business developments—with verification before publication.
Neighborhood desk
What is changing on your block
Future reporting will cover development, preservation, transit, public space, and the decisions shaping Raleigh neighborhoods.
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Education & civic life
The local decisions that matter
A reporting desk for schools, civic updates, public meetings, and community-led solutions is in development.
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Local economy
Business openings and development
Verified reporting on business developments, openings, closings, and neighborhood impact will be published here.
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On the field
Raleigh Sports
Professional, college, high school, youth, and community sports coverage is being developed by the Raleigh desk.
Raleigh’s teams, seasons, and stories
Game coverage and profiles spanning professional and college sports will appear here after editorial verification.
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Where the next generation plays
A future reporting series will spotlight verified high school, youth, recreation, and community sports stories.
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The Drake Dispatch
North Carolina, in your inbox every Thursday.
New stories, weekend plans, business openings and the things we hear before they get posted.