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Article Archive/December 2009
Updated January 20, 2010
Charlotte Black History Month
February is Black History Month
Celebrate Black History Month by learning the history of Charlotte from an African-American perspective.
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Statue
Charlotte's Fondest Tribute To Dr. King
 By Jay Whipple/Trend Magazine Online™
Located in the largest park (5 Acres) in Uptown Charlotte is the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Statue. The bronze statue is 8 feet tall and shows King ascending three steps with his right arm outstretched. There were over 3,000 people at the unveiling ceremony in April of 1980 including Dr. King’s father.
The statue was designed by Dr. Selma Burke. She was a Mooresville, NC, native and personal friend of Dr. King, and graduated from Livingstone College in Salisbury, NC, as well as the Slater State Normal School – today, Winston-Salem State University. Dr. Burke’s portrait of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt was used to fashion the bust of him on the American dime. The credit, however, was given to a white Treasury Department employee by the name of John Sinock.
The Dr. King Statue is located in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood of Uptown Charlotte which is the most prolific link to Black history in the Queen City. The neighborhood became the victim of urban renewal (a.k.a. urban removal) in the 1960’s and 1970’s when over 7,000 residents, 1,500 structures, and 200 Black-owned businesses were eradicated.
Note: Brooklyn was given its name beacuse of the large migration of African-Americans from Brooklyn, NY in the 1940's and 1050's.
See and learn more about the Dr. King Statue, Dr. Selma Burke, Marshall Park, Old Brooklyn, and over 75 other sites on our Annual Charlotte Black/African-American Heritage Tour and Pilgrimage (Black History Month), Charlotte's "Original" Daily Black/African-American Heritage Tour (For Individuals), or the Charlotte Black/African-American Heritage Tour ( For Groups).
Next Stop!
The Historic Excelsior Club
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