Get the latest from the Gantt & subscribe to our mailing list. A much bigger contributor to his loss, Gantt points out, was the infamous Hands ad that Helms campaign ran before the election. Jordans stance disappointed some of his admirers. He was elected to two terms as the first black Mayor of Charlotte from 1983 to 1987. Inspired by his father, a longtime National Association for the . Your donation is fully tax-deductible. We believe every community should see itself fairly reflected in local media. ', Even Gantt himself sympathizes with Jordan. Admittedly, it took some convincing by Board Chair Earl Leake and others. November 7, 1990. She has been anchoring the 6 and 11 p.m. news shows since. Lucinda entered in the fall semester of that same year, making her Clemson's second African American student to enroll. Privacy Policy & Terms of Use. But he would overcome the vestiges of segregation to become the citys first black mayor, blazing a trail in the Queen City like he did decades earlier at Clemson. His Nike Air Jordan shoes, in fact, made him millions. In September 1963, Lucinda Brawley became the first African-American woman to be admitted to Clemson and in October 1964 married Harvey. 263:11 (1996); H. Lewis Suggs, Harvey Gantt and the Desegregation of Harvey Gantt was the first black mayor of Charlotte. 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. He said being a pioneer wasn't difficult because he had friends on campus, both black and. In this series, Gantt recalls his life experiences, ranging from his attendance at Clemson University to his inauguration as Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a partner in the architectural and city planning firm Gantt/Huberman Architects and served two terms as mayor of Charlotte, N.C. "They surrounded me with love and affection.. She will continue to anchor early evening newscasts through December and will remain with WCNC afterward in a part-time role, helping with special projects and outreach, the station said Monday. Gibson, a junior center and a captain on N.C. State's football team, is the second oldest of Gantt's nine grandchildren. Harvey Bernard Gantt (born January 14, 1943) . Gantt ran twice, against Republican Jesse Helms in 1990 and in 1996, for the United States Senate. My supporters were very strong, very fervent people, he says. But Jesse Helms believes that abortion should be outlawed, even for victims of rape and incest. I guess if youre building a brand thats what you do., Gantt was seeking to become the first African-American senator from North Carolina. Small business owner's truck, equipment stolen, Habitat for Humanity building affordable housing in west Charlotte, At least 6 people killed in crashes on I-55 south of Springfield, Illinois. If he was in his mid 50s and done all of the things he had done and been as socially conscious as he has been and I was running a campaign, maybe I would have expected more of him, says Gantt. That, he says with a laugh, ought to tell you something.. Sean Mulhall. In an interview for the film, former President Barack Obama weighed in, too. They first reside in public housing, then in a home that Gantt's father built by hand, learning carpentry as he went. When it was first proposed that this building be named after me, I hesitated. While on the council, he encouraged black voting and reformed the process of electing city council members. Look, I didnt even know any of this stuff until the drama I guess was over. Is that really fair?" These are his words, lightly edited for clarity. We didnt spend a lot of time brooding about it, Gantt said in an interview on Friday. [6] With one and a half weeks to go, Gantt was ahead in the polls, but Helms aired a number of television commercials emphasizing Gantt's color. His lone focus was his craft. [3] He received a degree in architecture with Honors from Clemson[4] and a Master's degree in City Planning from MIT.[5]. All Rights Reserved. After one year of study, he returned to South Carolina and soon afterwards sued to enter racially segregated Clemson University. with Dignity (Clemson: Clemson University Digital Press, 2003); Remaining in office for two terms, Gantt stood shoulder-to-shoulder with other Charlotte leaders committed to establishing a New South City. On this holiday to honor the Rev. Do you find this information helpful? He has also received honorary degrees from Belmont Abbey College, Johnson C. Smith University, and Clemson University. 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. All rights reserved. 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? Harvey B. Gantt. All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. 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. 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. Harvey Gantt: At the time that this was occurring, I was actually on the highway. Courtesy of the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts+Culture. He said activism is just not in his nature. 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. Sonja Gantt, a key personality in WCNCs (Channel 36) news department for nearly 20 years, will leave the anchor desk in January for a new philanthropic role. Gantt was elected Charlottes first African-American mayor in 1983. In 1983, Gantt was nominated as the Democratic candidate for mayor and elected as Charlottes first and, to date, only black mayor. But thats where my energy was.. 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. 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 1963 Harvey B. Gantt became the first African American student admitted to Clemson University. She will. In The Last Dance, Jordan says his mother asked him to film a commercial for Gantt; he wrote a check to the campaign instead. He has been a visiting lecturer at a number of prestigious institutions, including his alma mater, Clemson University, where he also received an honorary doctorate.Lucinda is a native of Hopkins, S.C. By subscribing, you agree to receive emails from us. You can cancel at any time. In 1963, he was the first African American to be admitted to Clemson University in South Carolina. Somebody told me he said something about Republicans buying Nike shoes, Gantt, now 77, says. It's growing very well. As the oldest child of Wilhelmina and Christopher Gantt, he often attended NAACP meetings with his father. But Obama told the filmmakers he also sympathized Jordans reluctance to take a political stance. He'll focus on the Smart Tour instead, but he could race in Tommy Neal's Sportsman car next month. Sonja has been a central member of our news team for nearly 20 years, said WCNCs general manager. As a young lawyer preparing for public life in Chicago, he said he would have liked to see Jordan back Gantt. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. 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. Magazines, Digital 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. In 1971, Gantt left the Soul City project, returning to Charlotte to launch an architectural firm with Jeffrey Huberman. Charlotte is a great community and the Carolinas are a great region. If he was in his mid 50s and done all of the things he had done and been as socially conscious as he has been and I was running a campaign, maybe I would have expected more of him, says Gantt. On January 16, 1963, the U.S. Court of Appeals ordered Clemson to admit Gantt who became its first African American student. 864-656-3311, Harvey and Lucinda Gantt Multicultural Center, Non-Discrimination & Anti-Harassment Policy. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Gantt lost again, by a similar margin. Gantt grew up in Charleston, S.C.; he was the first African-American student to enroll at Clemson University in January 1963; he and the second African-American student on campus, Lucinda. Because he always called for peaceful protest, and these are far from that. So, my hope is and my belief is that Charlotte is going to be all right. Harvey Gantt believes that abortin should remain legal. 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. During the 1970s, Gantt worked at various architectural firms in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he settled after receiving his degree from MIT. _____ Video: Harvey Gantt Black History Moment Is that really fair?, That election, Gantt says, certainly had racial overtones. I dont know if thats good or bad., As further evidence that Gantt bears no ill will towards Jordan: hes helping to line Jordans pockets. He was elected to two terms as the first African-American mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina,[4] serving in that position from 1983 to 1987. Republicans buy sneakers, too, Jordan famously said by way of explanation. 2023 Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture. In 1990, Gantt ran for a Senate seat in North Carolina as a Democrat against the incumbent, Republican Jesse Helms. 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. I was struck by the descriptions that seem to suggest that the people doing this were well versed in military tactics to get in, and then to see them smashing the windows in the hallway it was all surprising. 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. 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. 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.
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