Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

You are here

Home

History Timeline

1992 - Death of a Pioneer

September 14, 1992 - Somebody had to be first, Gus Roberts said. Now, the man who was one of Charlotte's desegregation pioneers has died. In 1957, he was the first black student at all-white Central High. Of the four students who broke this color barrier, only Gus Roberts graduated from the school he risked his life to integrate.

Date of Event:

1977 - Government Changes

Since the 1950s, south Charlotte businessmen have dominated local politics. Now, neighborhood groups and others work for district representation. This new method of structuring the voting districts gives black citizens an opportunity to elect members of their own communities to public office.

Date of Event:

1984 - Honoring Kelly Alexander, Sr.

August 18, 1984  - Kelly Alexander, Sr. is honored by Governor Jim Hunt and the NAACP (the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). Since 1948, Alexander has been a tireless advocate for the rights guaranteed to all citizens by the U.S. Constitution, called civil rights. He serves as president of North Carolina's state NAACP chapter, which has brought more desegregation lawsuits than any other

Date of Event:

1995 - Library of the Year

The Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County is named Library of the Year by Library Journal. It notes children's programs, genealogical resources and computer technology among the resources the library provides to a growing population with changing needs. Each year, the Novello festival draws thousands to see nationally known authors and book illustrators. The library has earned recognition for its innovative programs and community outreach.Charlotte Mecklenburg Library named Library of the Year

Date of Event:

1992- NC African Americans Elected

November 3, 1992  - Charlotte's Mel Watt and Warrenton's Eva Clayton are the first blacks from North Carolina elected to the U.S. Congress since the era that followed the Civil War more than 100 years ago.

Date of Event:

1942 - War Industry

December 1941 - Production begins at the U.S. Rubber plant near York Road. With 15 miles of railroad access and 30 miles of gravel road, at the height of World War II the factory will employ 10,000 men and women. In 1958, the site will be developed as part of the Arrowood-Westinghouse-Carowinds area. 

Date of Event:

1955 - Ovens Auditorium

September 11, 1955 - Named for outspoken civic leader David Ovens, the auditorium honoring him opens. Ovens once convinced Enrico Caruso, the world-renowned opera singer, to perform in the Queen City. Caruso claimed he had never sung anywhere smaller than Charlotte! The 2,600-seat auditorium adjoins the Charlotte Coliseum, the world's largest unsupported concrete dome. In later years, the coliseum will be known as Independence Arena. 

Date of Event:

1975 - Restoring Fourth Ward

Civic leaders realize the importance of residential living in the center city. Charlotte banks, led by NCNB and First Union, offer low-interest loans to people willing to restore Fourth Ward's older homes and develop new housing in the old neighborhood. The area will become a showplace and will be recognized as the first of Charlotte's local historic districts.

Date of Event:

1944 - The Road to Berlin

June 6, 1944 - France has been invaded and is controlled by the German army. The Allies, countries fighting together to defeat Germany, attack Normandy in northern France. The most massive invasion in world history will be remembered as D-Day. More than 4,000 ships, 10,000 airplanes and 175,000 troops cross a body of water called the English Channel and overwhelm the Germans. Now, the Allies can fight their way eastward across Europe in pursuit of the German army.

Date of Event:

1955 - Strength of One

December 1, 1955 - A black seamstress is arrested in Montgomery, Alabama. Rosa Parks has refused to give up her bus seat to a white person. To bring attention to the unfairness of racial separation, called segregation, other black citizens refuse to ride the buses unless they are granted the same rights as white citizens. This refusal is called a boycott. It lasts more than a year. 

Date of Event: