In 1971, Gantt left the Soul City project, returning to Charlotte to launch an architectural firm with Jeffrey Huberman. Times, October 13, 1990; . Gantt was elected Charlottes first African-American mayor in 1983. Item Details Title Harvey Gantt holding his daughter Sonya, circa 1969 Collections Documenting the African American Experience at Clemson Harvey Gantt and the Integration of Clemson University Dates Date Created Circa 1969 Descriptive Information Left to right: Harry Jones, Gladys Gant, Anna Lou Reid, Harvey Gantt holding daughter Sonya. I was absolutely influenced by Martin Luther King's ministry and his leadership in the civil rights movement at that time. He was trying to build a brand, says Gantt. The ruling was regarding a 20 year-old Harvey Gantt, who despite excellent academics had been repeatedly barred from entering the university's . Please reload the page and try again. The fifth episode of The Last Dance, the popular ESPN docu-series examining the impact of Michael Jordan and the 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls, touches on one of the more controversial aspects of Jordans legendary career: his lack of political engagement during his playing days. In 2009, the former Afro-American Cultural Center opened its doors to a new, award-winning facility and was renamed the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture in honor of Harvey B. Gantt, an American trailblazer. A native of Hopkins, South Carolina, Ms. Brawley began dating civil rights leader Harvey Gantt when they were both undergraduate students. Gantt was elected Charlottes first African-American mayor in 1983. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. And I said, yeah they do. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Clemson University, with honors, in 1965, and in 1970, he received a Master of City Planning degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. You needed that job, and you were the best qualified, the narrator says. At 12, she was registering people to vote. One of the. In 1993, she moved to Chicago to report and anchor for WGN-TV, the Midwestern superstation. One, which attacked Gantt's pro-abortion stance, repeatedly rewound and replayed a soundbite from Gantt, with the image changing from color to black and white, and Gantt's face appearing darker at the end. That has been a fear that extends all the way back to the beginning of this country and beyond. Harvey Gantt was the first African American student to enroll at Clemson, entering the University in January 1963. At QCity Metro, our mission is to provide news, information and commentary from a Black perspective. A lot of people have called me over the years and asked, did you go to Michael? Harvey Gantt made history in 1983 as the first African-American to be elected as mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. Was that selfish? Back in 1990, Harvey Gantt, a black Democrat and former mayor of Charlotte, was . But I do find that my conservative folks keep talking now about unity and peacefulness and that we can all get together on one page when in fact, for years they have actually built the attitude of this country to the point that it is today where we have this level of divisiveness. Lucinda was business manager of East Towne Manor, an assisted-living facility in Charlotte, until her retirement. He'll focus on the Smart Tour instead, but he could race in Tommy Neal's Sportsman car next month. His lone focus was his craft. The internal documents detail university officials filing away or attempting to block admissions applications by Harvey and other Black students. She returned to Charlotte in 1997 as an anchor at WCNC. Gantt: I actually didn't meet him at all in that sense. Residents and visiting friends alike will have numerous opportunities to enjoy all aspects of Levine Center for the Arts. The Southern Gentleman Strategy Indeed, Harvey Gantt, 47, suggests a Southern Gentleman, courtly as he disarms white resistance by professing "no chip" on his shoulder as a black man who rose. Harvey Gantt: At the time that this was occurring, I was actually on the highway. RALEIGH, N.C. . And we were all outraged. He also ran twice against Jesse Helms for the U.S. Senate. Charlotte is a great community and the Carolinas are a great region. The fear we have today is very similar. He thinks its impossible to know whether Jordan, who as a freshman at UNC hit the game-winning shot to give legendary coach Dean Smith his first national title, could have tipped the race in his favor. Who is Clemson's biggest rival? In the 1980s, he opposed making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a national holiday. And then, How do I live up to it? The fifth episode of The Last Dance, the popular ESPN docu-series examining the impact of Michael Jordan and the 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls, touches on one of the more controversial aspects of Jordans legendary career: his lack of political engagement during his playing days. Somebody told me he said something about Republicans buying Nike shoes, Gantt, now 77, says. Your support helps the Gantt present exceptional exhibitions, leading scholars and engaging programs that celebrate the African-American story. You have reached your limit of free articles. On January 16, 1963, the U.S. Court of Appeals ordered Clemson to admit Gantt who became its first African American student. Because in talking to them you could see that they had great aspirations for children yet unborn their own children," Gantt said. And since that time, Ive thought it was much ado about nothing., Jordan, Gantt notes, was a 27-year-old superstar still on the rise: his Bulls hadnt beaten the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals yet. These are his words, lightly edited for clarity. In an interview with Lynn Haessly in 1986, Harvey Gantt recalled meeting Lucinda; [] That, he says with a laugh, ought to tell you something.. May this edifice always stand as a symbol that this community and nation are places where we all "belong". In 1963, he was the first African American to be admitted to Clemson University in South Carolina. Gantt chats sunnily about his wife of 31 years, Cindy; their daughter who anchors the morning television news in Chicago, two other daughters in medical school and his son, nicknamed Adam. In January 1963, after a legal battle that escalated to the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, Gantt became the first African-American student accepted at Clemson University. Upon Harveys graduation in 1965, he and Lucinda moved to Charlotte, N.C., where Lucinda completed her course work in applied mathematics and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from UNC-Charlotte. The four-story, 46,500-square-foot building was built for $18.6 million, and is part the Levine Center for the Arts. 2-year-old girl suffered extensive injuries. After one year of study, he returned to South Carolina and soon afterwards sued to enter racially segregated Clemson University. In 1963, he was the first African American to be admitted to Clemson University in South Carolina. Helms' career was marked by repeated charges that he was . Some of the firms projects include the construction of the Charlotte Transportation Center, Transamerica Square, and First Ward Recreation Center. We want our teachers to feel supported and not feel like what happens in their classrooms is limited by resources, Gantt said Monday. ', Even Gantt himself sympathizes with Jordan. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. You needed that job, and you were the best qualified, the narrator says. Did he turn you down? Gantt lost the election. In 1961, Gantt attended Iowa State University. Inspired by his father, a longtime National Association for the . I hope that those who have already "crossed over" can smile and feel proud knowing that we have not forgotten their sacrifices; how they nurtured, pushed and prodded young minds to strive for excellence. In 1983, Gantt was nominated as the Democratic candidate for mayor and elected as Charlottes first and, to date, only black mayor. I envisioned walking into the building with my grandchildren and had thoughts of others doing the same with future generations. Daughter of former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt, she attended East Mecklenburg High School and got a journalism degree from UNC Chapel Hill. Clemson's main rivals within the Atlantic Coast . Harvey Gantt was mayor of Charlotte from 1983-1987. Was that selfish? From morning until night, I was traveling all over this state, making speeches and doing a whole lot of stuff and trying to become a credible candidate, Gantt says. In an interview for the film, former President Barack Obama weighed in, too. News, Opinion & Events for Charlotte's African American community. Gantt lost again, by a similar margin. Privacy Policy & Terms of Use. The Gantts were married in the fall of 1964. We didnt spend a lot of time brooding about it, Gantt said in an interview on Friday. Clemson University Harvey Gantt: At the time that this was occurring, I was actually on the highway. In 1974, Gantts political career began with his appointment to the Charlotte City Council to fill the seat vacated by Fred Alexander, the councils only black member. I guess if youre building a brand thats what you do., Gantt was seeking to become the first African-American senator from North Carolina. I actually find it hard to believe that we find ourselves in this place, in this country, in the days before we inaugurate the 46th president of this country, Joe Biden, to suggest that there may be violence in 50 state capitals and the capital of the United States. In this week's Wisdom Watch, Gantt, who is also a renowned architect,. [3] (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Harvey Gantt becomes Clemson University's first African-American student in 1963. Here is Harvey Gantt, the civil rights hero and former mayor and, perhaps just as important as any of the rest, grandfather. Gantt's husband threw the car into reverse and took off. Harvey Gantt trusts the women of. [10], In 2016, PBS Charlotte and UNC-TV featured Gantt in their online series, Biographical Conversations. While our nation and world still struggle with acknowledging and appreciating our differences, the Gantt Center can serve as a vehicle for people to come celebrate African American art, history and culture. The Gantts are the proud parents of four children. Harvey Harvey Gantt holding his daughter Sonya, circa 1969 Havey Gantt at Dr. Harold and Mrs. Eugenia Hills 50th Anniversary Havey Gantt with Dr. Harold and Mrs. Eugenia Hills at their 50th Anniversary Items in this Collection 1991 CUBFSA New Black Faculty and Staff Reception She will. Javascript must be enabled for the correct page display, Assistance for Visitors with Disabilities, K-12 In School Programs & Enhanced Tour Offerings. [9] Gantt ran against Helms again in 1996, but he lost again with 46% of the vote. Again: fear. Did he turn you down? Example video title will go here for this video. Research interests: urban design, planning, and policy; civil rights and politics. He said being a pioneer wasnt difficult because he had friends on campus, both black and white, who made the transition easier. There is something about the spirit of this place that even if youre a newcomer you can come and try to do things," he said. Harvey is a native of Charleston, S.C. He graduated with a bachelors degree in architecture from Clemson with honors in 1965. So no harm, no foul., Gantt lost that 1990 race by some 105,000 votes; Helms got 53% of the vote to Gantts 47%. Ultimately, Michael Jordan may be forgotten, McCall said. So, my hope is and my belief is that Charlotte is going to be all right. Many people fear the so-called left taking over and overrunning the country with people who are of different races, creeds, colors, whatever you want to call it, women and others coming forward, and that their way of life or their ability to "make America great again" would be, in fact, hampered. As a young lawyer preparing for public life in Chicago, he said he would have liked to see Jordan back Gantt. If you appeal enough to the fears that people have about their future existence, you can actually dictate what might they need to do to overcome those fears. He moved to Charlotte after graduating from MIT, and, in 1971, co-founded Gantt Huberman Architects. But Obama told the filmmakers he also sympathized Jordans reluctance to take a political stance. Gibson, a junior center and a captain on N.C. State's football team, is the second oldest of Gantt's nine grandchildren. Gibson's mother, Sonja, is Gantt's oldest child. It was there, and at the family dinner table with his four sisters, that he began to appreciate the importance of advocacy and the injustice of racial discrimination. And I suppose he wasnt as reflective on the implications of what people were asking him to do. While Gantt would have welcomed Jordans support, he holds no grudges. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Sonja Gantt addressing Charlotte students on the value of reading in 2014. Gantt lost the election. Jordans stance disappointed some of his admirers. This collection contains photographs of Harvey and Lucinda, who is the first African American woman to attend Clemson, as well as official university documents related to Harvey's integration fight. Harvey Gantt was the first African American student to enroll at Clemson, entering the University in January 1963. Gantt: I think that Dr. King would be turning over in his grave or frowning from heaven, shall we say. "Our young people still appreciate and honor what Harvey and Lucinda started, which is very important and enriching." The Gantts married in 1964, and after Harvey completed his architecture. All Rights Reserved. SouthBound Extra: A Preview Of Harvey Gantt Interview. He is a partner in the architectural and city planning firm Gantt/Huberman Architects and served two terms as mayor of Charlotte, N.C. with Dignity (Clemson: Clemson University Digital Press, 2003); He supported the rights of NFL players to kneel during the national anthem and backed James after President Donald Trump questioned Jamess intelligence. Back in 1990 Jordan, who grew up in North Carolina and starred for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, refused to publicly endorse Harvey Gantt, the African-American former Democratic mayor of Charlotte, in his racially contentious Senate race versus Republican Jesse Helms. Is that really fair?, That election, Gantt says, certainly had racial overtones. Jordans stance disappointed some of his admirers. Ill be sharing the story of whats happening in the classrooms with businesses that want to invest. Gantt said she has always had a passion for education and considered pursuing a career in teaching while in college. Gantt: I'm encouraged that many of the places where Biden and Kamala Harris did well were in the urban centers and the growth regions of our state. In 1990 and 1996, Gantt was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, losing to incumbent Republican Jesse Helms both times. He went to the public schools of that city and graduated from Burke High School second in his class. By subscribing, you agree to receive emails from us. ', Even Gantt himself sympathizes with Jordan. in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Look, I didnt even know any of this stuff until the drama I guess was over. In 2012, Jordan hosted a fundraiser for Obama; Jordan also offered some fundraising support for Gantt in his 1996 rematch with Helms. Lucinda entered in the fall semester of that same year, making her Clemson's second African American student to enroll. First of all, we couldn't understand how security would have allowed this group of people to get in. Whoops! African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. Gantts wife Lucinda became the second African-American student to enroll at Clemson. Its a question former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt has thought about over the years, including when he was the first African American to attend Clemson University and when he lost in a tight race for the U.S. Senate in 1990 that was racially charged. They first reside in public housing, then in a home that Gantt's father built by hand, learning carpentry as he went. Gantt, 50, will become executive director of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Public Schools Foundation, a 501-c-3 nonprofit that collects donations to supplement educational programs. In the close and particularly bitter 1990 contest, Helms campaign used shrewdly-crafted TV ads targeting white fears about affirmative action, which Gantts supporters claimed were racially motivated. He was elected to two terms as the first black Mayor of Charlotte from 1983 to 1987. In the 1980s, he opposed making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a national holiday. After much processing and discussion with my wife, Cindy, the prevailing factor that led me to say "yes" was that it was for the sake of posterity. Harvey Gantt graduated with honors from Clemson in 1965, earning a Bachelor's degree in Architecture and later a Master of City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He won the election with 52 percent of the overall vote and 36 percent of the white vote and then served a four-year term as mayor. In 2012, Jordan hosted a fundraiser for Obama; Jordan also offered some fundraising support for Gantt in his 1996 rematch with Helms. And since that time, Ive thought it was much ado about nothing., Jordan, Gantt notes, was a 27-year-old superstar still on the rise: his Bulls hadnt beaten the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals yet. Maybe were going to be linked together in history. He thinks its impossible to know whether Jordan, who as a freshman at UNC hit the game-winning shot to give legendary coach Dean Smith his first national title, could have tipped the race in his favor. Gantt has a signed . Gantt, who had stepped out of the car, jumped back in after she spotted the second man pointing a gun at her, police said. Her experience includes producing on-air reports for National Public Radio and she worked full-time as a producer for NPRs All Things Considered news program for five years. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. UPDATE: Brother told investigators child got in trouble for messing with fish tank. Glenn: Now, you yourself, when you ran for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Sen. Jesse Helms, you had a really tough campaign, and there were lots of charges of racism. ``We don't know if it was random or if someone was targeting her,' said police Capt. And in the crowd, there I was with my attorney, Matthew Perry, and we just got a chance to shake his hand in a long line of people who were in awe of this young man and what he was doing. Look, I didnt even know any of this stuff until the drama I guess was over. Gantt continues to advocate for equity and equal rights and is often tapped to serve on civic, cultural, and business boards, and to lead philanthropic efforts and community initiatives. Problems of Coalition Maintenance in the New South, Southeastern Gantt ran twice, against Republican Jesse Helms in 1990 and in 1996, for the United States Senate. 90.7 Charlotte 93.7 Southern Pines Is that really fair?, That election, Gantt says, certainly had racial overtones. Jordans reluctance to get political stands in contrast to todays superstar athletes, like LeBron James, who are much more socially engaged. I am forever grateful to them for being the driving force and motivation in my life. And I remembered my parents and others who served as inspirations to me. I thought about the enormous history of the residents of the historic Second Ward community of "Brooklyn," where the Gantt Center now stands. Back in 1990 Jordan, who grew up in North Carolina and starred for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, refused to publicly endorse Harvey Gantt, the African-American former Democratic mayor of Charlotte, in his racially contentious Senate race versus Republican Jesse Helms. The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, in Charlotte, is named in his honor. All Rights Reserved. Senate candidate Harvey Gantt lost his 1990 U.S. Senate bid to unseat longtime incumbent Jesse Helms. AP Photo/Chuck Burton. Gantt lost again, by a similar margin. We didnt spend a lot of time brooding about it, Gantt said in an interview on Friday. Gantts a season ticket holder for the Charlotte Hornets, the NBA team owned by Jordan. But thats where my energy was.. The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, in Charlotte, is named in his honor. And without the trails he blazed in the second half of the 20th century, this . As a result, the firm has developed some of the citys most iconic landmarks, including the Charlotte Transportation Center, TransAmerica Square, ImaginOn, Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, and the Johnson C. Smith University Science Center. Their daughter, Sonja Gantt, is a former news anchor at WCNC-TV in Charlotte. While significant, Gantts impact on the city extends beyond improving the built environment. Clemson University, 1960-1963, in Skip Eisiminger, ed., Integration [4], In 2009, the Afro-American Cultural Center and the City of Charlotte honored Gantt by building the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, recognizing his contributions to the civil rights movement and as the city's first black mayor. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. WCNC-TV anchorwoman Sonja Gantt and her husband noticed a white pickup at the top of their driveway as they were pulling into their garage Saturday night, police said.Two men wearing ski masks and holding handguns approached, and one man ordered Gantt's husband to go into the house. He was Charlotte's last Democratic mayor until Anthony Foxx was elected in 2009. He started to participate in civil rights activism in high school. All images and text on this website are for viewing only and are not to be downloaded or appropriated for other purposes. But they had to give it to a minority because of a racial quota. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. Gantt has also received awards from the Charlotte branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Leadership Charlotte in 2006. But what really made the impact for me were the African-Americans who always serviced that white student population," Gantt said. In 1963, Gantt became the first African-American student to attend the previously all-white institution. Glenn: And, of course, North Carolina went for President Trump. He started to participate in civil rights activism in high school. The episode, which aired Sunday evening, cut to an older clip of author Nathan McCallwho worked at the Washington Post from 1989-1998comparing Jordan unfavorably to Muhammad Ali, who gave up prime earning years to oppose the Vietnam War and Americas treatment of African-Americans. Gantt unsuccessfully ran two U.S. Senatorial campaigns against Republican Senator Jesse Helms in 1990 and 1996. Charlotte Observer file photo, Authorities ID man who died in house fire, Morris Chestnut, Tamika Mallory, Benjamin Crump and more to give N.C. HBCU commencement speeches this month, New center provides resources to LGBT community and people living with HIV, Democratic lawmakers in N.C. push for paid family leave, more sick days and higher minimum wage, Charlotte City Council member Braxton Winston will seek statewide office in 2024, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Harvey B. Gantt, architect and politician, was born January 14, 1943 in Charleston, South Carolina to Christopher and Wilhelmenia Gantt. Gantt Tries Again to Beat the Senates Last Reactionary, The Nation That reminded me of a movie of someone reaching, overcoming some enemy on the other side and they were going to take over. Gantt's husband threw the car into reverse and took off. I dont think anyone who witnessed that campaign would have suggested otherwise.. Republicans buy sneakers, too, Jordan famously said by way of explanation. As the oldest child of Wilhelmina and Christopher Gantt, he often attended NAACP meetings with his father. Glenn: And with what's going on with President Trump's supporters calling for armed protests at state capitals around the nation on this Dr. King holiday, what are you thinking about? All rights reserved. 90.3 Hickory 106.1 Laurinburg, PublishedJanuary 18, 2021 at 7:53 AM EST. ; Peter As a young lawyer preparing for public life in Chicago, he said he would have liked to see Jordan back Gantt. Maybe were going to be linked together in history. That was not the first thing that came to my mind on the morning after that defeat., In the series, Jordan copped to making the Republicans buy sneakers too comment, but insists it was in jest. Back in 1990 Jordan, who grew up in North Carolina and starred for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, refused to publicly endorse Harvey Gantt, the African-American former Democratic mayor of Charlotte, in his racially contentious Senate race versus Republican Jesse Helms. Join our community to receive email updates. Thirty years later, Gantt tells TIME he doesnt begrudge Jordans decision not to publicly support himand isnt sure how much it would have mattered, anyway. In late 1961, he applied to Clemson University, and was admitted in January 1963 under court order and became . [3] He received a degree in architecture with Honors from Clemson[4] and a Master's degree in City Planning from MIT.[5]. And I would feel terrible if he felt obligated to have done something that he didnt want to do. I only heard about this Michael Jordan saga secondhand. It was there, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, that Harvey Gantt began a career of breaking ground.

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