Tagged: Civil Rights

Fifty years ago, a Charlotte Civil Rights activist led a march through Charlotte to call for desegregation in the city. That march triggered an "eat-in" at Charlotte restaurants with African American leaders, led by then Mayor Stan Brookshire. That action in Charlotte helped set the stage for the nation's 1964 Civil Rights Act. Fifty years after that action, we'll gather with historians as well as people who were there to talk about those historic events, how Charlotte has progressed since, and where we still need to go to fully achieve desegregation in Charlotte, when Charlotte Talks.

Charlotte newcomers may recognize the name "Gantt" because it's on the Center for African Arts and Culture Uptown. They may even know Harvey Gantt was the city's first African American mayor. But the name carries even more weight in South Carolina, where Gantt had a major role in desegregation. That is the subject of a new documentary airing this weekend on ETV – the South Carolina public television station.  WFAE's Julie Rose explains:

Pulitzer-Prize winning author Taylor Branch's most famous body of work is his trilogy chronicling the history of the American Civil Rights Movement and the life of Dr. Martin Luther King. His most recent work distills the trilogy into a smaller volume that is meant to be used by history teachers to help educate students about this defining period in our nation's history. We'll talk with Mr. Branch about the Civil Rights era and what led him to write so extensively about it, about race today, and more, when Charlotte Talks.

  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once wrote "worship at its best is a social experience with people of all levels" His vision for more integrated churches has not truly come to fruition but several area religious leaders hope to change that. We'll meet a Sociologist studying the divisive nature that can pervade churches in our region as well as two Pastors working to diversify their own congregations. On the week of the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. we look at his hope for integration of the church experience in America.