Chessor and Mary Jane Bowles established the first SHHH presence in North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Long before NCSHHH was recognized as an official state level SHHH organization, leaders in North Carolina started meeting to attain that goal. This picture shows some of those leaders on the porch of Joan and John Black's home in 1989.

Left to right are; Ron Venezia, Dorothy Allen, John Black, Joan Black and Ron Vickery. Not shown but also attending the meeting were; Alison Turner, Ed and Mimi Clifford, Pat Carrier, Myra Roach (White) and Chessor Bowles.

• 1991: NCSHHH was incorporated by North Carolina.
• 1993: NCSHHH becomes the first SHHH State Association recognized by the national SHHH organization.
• 1994: NCSHHH holds the "Breaking Sound Barriers" state wide conference on hearing loss.
• 1995: NC Legislature grants NCSHHH a formal slot on the DSDHH Council for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People.
• 2000: NCSHHH holds two "mini conferences" on hearing loss.
• 2001: NCSHHH participates in the "Pilot Program" to help define a framework for other state organizations.