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 Brawley, would go on to marry. 864-656-3311, Harvey and Lucinda Gantt Multicultural Center, Non-Discrimination & Anti-Harassment Policy. Sean Mulhall. During the 1970s, Gantt worked at various architectural firms in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he settled after receiving his degree from MIT. In 1993, she moved to Chicago to report and anchor for WGN-TV, the Midwestern superstation. 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. So, my hope is and my belief is that Charlotte is going to be all right. After one year of study, he returned to South Carolina and soon afterwards sued to enter racially segregated Read MoreHarvey Bernard Gantt (1943- ) You have reached your limit of free articles. But what really made the impact for me were the African-Americans who always serviced that white student population," Gantt said. WFAE "All Things Considered" host Gwendolyn Glenn talked with Gantt about past challenges he endured and the challenges the nation faces today, as armed protests are threatened during President-elect Joe Bidens inauguration. And I said, yeah they do. In this week's Wisdom Watch, Gantt, who is also a renowned architect,. (The Last Dances ratings would say otherwise). SouthBound Extra: A Preview Of Harvey Gantt Interview. Harvey Gantt was the first black mayor of Charlotte. In 1963, he was the first African American to be admitted to Clemson University in South Carolina. Whoops! The four-story, 46,500-square-foot building was built for $18.6 million, and is part the Levine Center for the Arts. At QCity Metro, our mission is to provide news, information and commentary from a Black perspective. 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. And my grandson, who had access to his cellphone, shows me this picture of people climbing the Capitol wall. He graduated with a bachelors degree in architecture from Clemson with honors in 1965. Throughout his career, Harveys ties with academia have remained strong. Harvey Gantt, a member of Sigma Pi Phi fraternity, lives with his wife Cindy in Charlotte. We want our teachers to feel supported and not feel like what happens in their classrooms is limited by resources, Gantt said Monday. Gantt lost the election. In terms of coming together? But thats where my energy was.. And I would feel terrible if he felt obligated to have done something that he didnt want to do. Republican Sen. Jesse Helms, icon of ultra-conservatives, defeated Democrat Harvey Gantt, the former mayor of Charlotte, winning a fourth term and snuffing out his challenger . In The Last Dance, Jordan says his mother asked him to film a commercial for Gantt; he wrote a check to the campaign instead. Gantt ran twice, against Republican Jesse Helms in 1990 and in 1996, for the United States Senate. Do you find this information helpful? Your support helps the Gantt present exceptional exhibitions, leading scholars and engaging programs that celebrate the African-American story. As the oldest child of Wilhelmina and Christopher Gantt, he often attended NAACP meetings with his father. But they had to give it to a minority because of a racial quota. Maybe were going to be linked together in history. In 1963, Gantt became the first African-American student to attend the previously all-white institution. 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. Harvey B. Gantt Center on opening day Gantt was born in Charleston, South Carolina to Wilhelminia and Christopher C. Gantt, a shipyard worker. And the blame is, for me, four years of a president who I feel rightly was impeached because he did incite that riot, baiting the crowd, projecting misinformation all over the place. She is committed to continuing to have a role in helping our community and we are thrilled she will remain with NBC Charlotte to assist on special projects.. Officers say the vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree. My supporters were very strong, very fervent people, he says. One of the. In addition to being Charlotte' first African American mayor, he was the first African American student to attend Clemson University. A much bigger contributor to his loss, Gantt points out, was the infamous Hands ad that Helms campaign ran before the election. I thought about the enormous history of the residents of the historic Second Ward community of "Brooklyn," where the Gantt Center now stands. AP Photo/Chuck Burton. Harvey 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. 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. She will. Gantt says the people he met on campus inspired him and made life a lot easier. In the 1980s, he opposed making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a national holiday. "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. in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. As a child, she worked to get Harvey Gantt elected Charlotte . Lucinda entered in the fall semester of that same year, making her Clemsons second African American student to enroll.Harvey is a native of Charleston, S.C. I wasnt as much fearful about going to Clemson," Gantt said. Did he turn you down? ', Even Gantt himself sympathizes with Jordan. Harvey Bernard Gantt grew up in the 1940s and 50s in then-segregated Charleston, South Carolina. A much bigger contributor to his loss, Gantt points out, was the infamous Hands ad that Helms campaign ran before the election. 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. "One day being on the other side of the serving line.. Gantt graduated with honors with a bachelor's degree in architecture. Eisiminger, Skip, editor, "Integration with Dignity", Clemson University Digital Press, Clemson, South Carolina, 2003, Last edited on 12 February 2023, at 08:57, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, "The 1990 Elections: North Carolina; Helms Kindled Anger in Campaign, And May Have Set Tone for Others", "Nonprofits & Philanthropy | The Y9 Group", "Watch Full Episodes Online of Biographical Conversations With on PBS | Harvey Gantt: Episode 1: The Young Pioneer", Harvey Gantt and the Desegregation of Clemson University, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harvey_Gantt&oldid=1138908708, This page was last edited on 12 February 2023, at 08:57. He attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa from 1960-1962. We had folks from all over the country. Problems of Coalition Maintenance in the New South, Southeastern The city did not at that time have majority black population and currently does not have a majority black population. And then this president built it to a peak by saying, "I won in a landslide, and they cheated me." His Nike Air Jordan shoes, in fact, made him millions. Not just teachers, but an entire community rallied behind the youth, molding bright minds. Glenn has won awards for her reports from the Maryland-DC-Delaware Press Association, SNA and the first-place radio award from the National Association of Black Journalists. I only heard about this Michael Jordan saga secondhand. Biden lost North Carolina, but I sensed, as I sensed back during the race with Jesse Helms, that North Carolina is going to be a purple state, much in the way that Georgia this year went blue. 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: At the time that this was occurring, I was actually on the highway. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. Gantt's husband threw the car into reverse and took off. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Americans are reflecting on Kings legacy and the divisiveness of the country, especially given the mob attack on the U.S. Capitol more than a week ago. Somebody told me he said something about Republicans buying Nike shoes, Gantt, now 77, says. Who is Harvey Gantt daughter? My supporters were very strong, very fervent people, he says. As a young lawyer preparing for public life in Chicago, he said he would have liked to see Jordan back Gantt. Gantt: I actually didn't meet him at all in that sense. A retired architect, he still remains plugged-in to the Charlotte political scene. Nonetheless, Gantt received 47 percent of the vote in the race against the nationally-known incumbent senator who had held the seat 17 years. William F. CampbellThe LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images, German Soccer Fans Are Putting Cardboard Cutouts of Themselves in the Stands to Avoid Games in 'Empty' Stadiums, Underwater Noise Pollution Is Disrupting Ocean LifeBut We Can Fix It. But Obama told the filmmakers he also sympathized Jordans reluctance to take a political stance. Gantt entered local politics, where he was elected to the city council, serving from 1974 to 1983. Daughter of former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt, she attended East Mecklenburg High School and got a journalism degree from UNC Chapel Hill. 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. So no harm, no foul., Gantt lost that 1990 race by some 105,000 votes; Helms got 53% of the vote to Gantts 47%. Residents and visiting friends alike will have numerous opportunities to enjoy all aspects of Levine Center for the Arts. 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. Clemson University, 1960-1963, in Skip Eisiminger, ed., Integration He said activism is just not in his nature. (The Last Dances ratings would say otherwise). In 1970, he earned . Senate candidate Harvey Gantt lost his 1990 U.S. Senate bid to unseat longtime incumbent Jesse Helms. Gibson's mother, Sonja, is Gantt's oldest child. Their daughter, Sonja Gantt, is a former news anchor at WCNC-TV in Charlotte. Gantt lost again, by a similar margin. Harvey Gantt becomes Clemson University's first African-American student in 1963. Gantts a season ticket holder for the Charlotte Hornets, the NBA team owned by Jordan. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. Gantt is the daughter of two-time Senate candidate and former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt. 2-year-old girl suffered extensive injuries. 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. Harvey Gantt was the first African American student to enroll at Clemson, entering the University in January 1963. Probably, he admits in The Last Dance. 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. UPDATE: Brother told investigators child got in trouble for messing with fish tank. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. 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. He served on the North Carolina Democratic Party Executive Council, the Democratic National Committee, and was appointed as chair of the National Capital Planning Commission in Washington, DC. Gantt: Well, if you go back and try to dig deep about why this incident occurred on Capitol Hill, it really was built out of a standard feature of campaigns going all the way back to mine. Harvey Gantt graduated with honors from Clemson in 1965, earning a Bachelors degree in Architecture and later a Master of City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). [8] Gantt lost the election by 47% to 53%. And of course, in my case, in 1990, Jesse Helms successfully blew the dog whistle of racism, and people feared African Americans holding public office. [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. Gwendolyn is an award-winning journalist who has covered a broad range of stories on the local and national levels. Gantt's husband threw the car into reverse and took off. Gwendolyn Glenn: What was going through your mind as you watched the insurrection unfold at the U.S. Capitol? "I wasnt fearing the academics. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. Harvey is a native of Charleston, S.C. And I was shocked. While on the council, he encouraged black voting and reformed the process of electing city council members. [4] Their daughter, Sonja Gantt, is a former news anchor at WCNC-TV in Charlotte.[12]. And we were all outraged. That causes a reaction. Jordans reluctance to get political stands in contrast to todays superstar athletes, like LeBron James, who are much more socially engaged. 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. I guess if youre building a brand thats what you do., Gantt was seeking to become the first African-American senator from North Carolina. Was that selfish? The ruling was regarding a 20 year-old Harvey Gantt, who despite excellent academics had been repeatedly barred from entering the university's . Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. He was trying to build a brand, says Gantt. In 1970, Gantt earned an M.A. In the spot, the hands of a white man crumples up a letter. Harvey Bernard Gantt (born January 14, 1943)[1] is an American architect and Democratic politician active in North Carolina. He has also received honorary degrees from Belmont Abbey College, Johnson C. Smith University, and Clemson University. "They surrounded me with love and affection.. 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. On January 16, 1963, the U.S. Court of Appeals ordered Clemson to admit Gantt who became its first African American student. And I said, yeah they do. Harvey Gantt: At the time that this was occurring, I was actually on the highway. 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 supported the rights of NFL players to kneel during the national anthem and backed James after President Donald Trump questioned Jamess intelligence. In an interview for the film, former President Barack Obama weighed in, too. Harvey Gantt was born in Charleston, South Carolina. UNCG will suffer from state's new funding formula, say retired faculty members. For NC Rep. Tricia Cotham, being a Democrat was a part of her identity from a young age. Gantt currently manages a successful architectural firm and remains active in politics. Harvey Gantt made history in 1983 as the first African-American to be elected as mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1983, Gantt was nominated as the Democratic candidate for mayor and elected as Charlottes first and, to date, only black mayor. Is that really fair?, That election, Gantt says, certainly had racial overtones. Glenn: Today is the federal holiday for the Rev. After graduating second in his class from Burke High School in 1960, Gantt left home to study architecture at Iowa State University. The Gantts are the proud parents of four children. Harvey Gantt was the first African American student to enroll at Clemson, entering the University in January 1963.
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