This year the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Art + Culture marks a very special 50th anniversary with the Gantt Golden Year: a Yearlong Celebration of Black Joy, Genius, and Excellence. The celebration features performances, gala events, exhibitions, and programs. Events showcase dance, music, food, literature, and the arts. The programs share the timeline of the Center from its origins until today, highlighting the social and cultural contributions that African Americans have made to Charlotte and the region.
Twenty years ago, Charlotte Viewpoint published "The Afro American Cultural Center" by Beverly Cureton, then executive director of 'The Afro Center,' the predecessor to the Gantt. Cureton noted that The Afro Center or AACC was "one of the best kept secrets in Charlotte." Since Ms. Cureton's remarks, the Center has had many public milestones. In 2009, the Center, renamed in honor of past mayor Harvey Gantt, opened on South Tryon Street as a state-of-the-art museum. In 2018, the Center renamed its lobby in honor of its founding mothers, Dr. Mary Harper and Dr. Bertha Maxwell Roddy. In 2023, the Center opened its MODA (Mecca of Digital Arts) Studio to extend its service offerings to the community. Throughout it all, the Center has hosted symposia, exhibits, forums, and events enriching the city.
We include a 2013 conversation between Tiffany Graham, then director of advancement at the Gantt Center, and Valaida Fullwood, about Black philanthropy and the work to "present, preserve, and celebrate" African-American art, history, and culture. We also include an interview of Tom Hollis, then chair of the CPCC Drama Department, by Kimberly Lawson; a story by J. Spinnazola about "late nights walking back from the office without ever getting closer to home"; and an artist gallery by Stephanie Neely. You'll see links to four of our PDF magazines from previous years that include lead columns from Rodney Monroe, Anja Workman, Dee Dee Murphy, and Jason Stone.
To celebrations and anniversaries, Mark Peres
Charlotte Viewpoint Founder The Charlotte Center Founder & Executive Director |
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Photo by the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Art + Culture |
The Afro-American Cultural Center |
One of the best kept secrets in Charlotte is the Afro-American Cultural Center. The quality and variety of the activities inside the picturesque and historic red brick building, located on 7th and McDowell Streets in First Ward, is a mystery even to many of its nearest neighbors. Celebrating its 30th year as a multidisciplinary cultural arts center, the AACC has been the locus of activity in the neighborhood since its erection as the Little Rock AME Zion Church in 1911. Quaint and intimate, the AACC resonates with a certain spirit and determination as the staff carries out the mission “to present, preserve and promote African American art, culture and history.”
The “Afro Center” is a private, non-profit organization. The facility is owned by the City of Charlotte. The Center includes three visual art galleries, a 300 person capacity amphitheater, the 130 seat Attic Theater and two vintage “shotgun” houses. The Center prides itself on being part of the Uptown cultural district. As an affiliate of the Arts & Science Council, the Center’s annual budget is just under $1 million. Additional funding comes from the North Carolina Arts Council, memberships and contributions.
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From 2013:
A Conversation with Tiffany L. Graham |
In observance of Black Philanthropy Month,Valaida Fullwood, local idea whisperer and co- author of Giving Back: A Tribute to Generations of African American Philanthropists, interviews, in a multi-part series, a number of Charlotte African Americans engaged in multiple facets of philanthropy and focuses on interests and concerns, 50 years after Dr. King’s iconic “I Have A Dream” speech.
Tiffany L. Graham is the [former] Director of Advancement at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture. |
| From 2016:
Let Consistency Grow Audience |
As the Uptown landscape continues to change with development, one arts organization is starting to see some positive effects of all the new housing. Tom Hollis, chair of Central Piedmont Community College’s drama department and artistic director of CPCC Summer Theatre, says they’re beginning to see more audience members who live in Uptown and South End.
“Especially during the week,” Hollis says. “For some people, the weekend starts on Thursday night.” |
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From 2012: The Price You Pay |
There is a place on the way that stays open late. Coffee. Sandwiches. Candy. Whatever you need: overpriced and convenient like a gas station for pedestrians. You fill up quick, and go on your way.
“You look for something particular?” “Sandwiches. You got any sandwiches?” |
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From 2013:
Stephanie Neely |
Stephanie's work has been shown in about a dozen exhibitions in North Carolina, including several at the Elder Gallery in Charlotte. She holds a Master of Arts degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University of New Orleans, a Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law, and a Bachelor of Science degree in landscape horticulture from North Carolina State University. |
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About Charlotte Viewpoint |
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Charlotte Viewpoint is a magazine about the city and culture of the Charlotte region that ran from 2003-2016. Charlotte Viewpoint published civic and cultural commentary and programmed events about Charlotte for engaged citizens to nurture creative capital, elevate civic discourse and promote intellectual and artistic excellence in the Charlotte region. |
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| Charlotte Viewpoint has been archived by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room for its historical significance. |
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