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. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Police release ID of Greensboro resident killed in fatal crash Tuesday, Jonathan Brown won't race in Modified Division this year at Bowman Gray Stadium, Troopers: Man now faces felony after failing to stop for school bus, striking 6-year-old boy. Even Jordan has stepped out of his former comfort zone a bit: in 2016, he released a statement against police brutality and announced two $1 million donations to organizations seek to build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Years later, he would move to Charlotte -- a city where he had difficulty getting a hotel room when he first arrived due to the color of his skin. He was still trying to figure out, How am I managing this image that has been created around me,' said Obama. And we were all outraged. Gantt continues to advocate for equity and equal rights and is often tapped to serve on civic, cultural, and business boards, and to lead philanthropic efforts and community initiatives. Somebody told me he said something about Republicans buying Nike shoes, Gantt, now 77, says. Harvey Gantt was born in Charleston, South Carolina. Ultimately, Michael Jordan may be forgotten, McCall said. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. Harvey Gantt graduated with honors from Clemson in 1965, earning a Bachelor's degree in Architecture and later a Master of City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Gantt avoided the issue of race, instead attacking Helms's record on jobs, education and health care. Join our community to receive email updates. November 7, 1990. Charlotte Observer file photo, Authorities ID man who died in house fire, Morris Chestnut, Tamika Mallory, Benjamin Crump and more to give N.C. HBCU commencement speeches this month, New center provides resources to LGBT community and people living with HIV, Democratic lawmakers in N.C. push for paid family leave, more sick days and higher minimum wage, Charlotte City Council member Braxton Winston will seek statewide office in 2024, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. You have permission to edit this article. Daughter of former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt, she attended East Mecklenburg High School and got a journalism degree from UNC Chapel Hill. Helms' career was marked by repeated charges that he was . Officers say the vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree. We didnt spend a lot of time brooding about it, Gantt said in an interview on Friday. 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. She later continued her education, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the same school. You had to want to be in this campaign. A retired architect, he still remains plugged-in to the Charlotte political scene. The four-story, 46,500-square-foot building was built for $18.6 million, and is part the Levine Center for the Arts. But I do find that my conservative folks keep talking now about unity and peacefulness and that we can all get together on one page when in fact, for years they have actually built the attitude of this country to the point that it is today where we have this level of divisiveness. We didnt spend a lot of time brooding about it, Gantt said in an interview on Friday. In this series, Gantt recalls his life experiences, ranging from his attendance at Clemson University to his inauguration as Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. He has also received honorary degrees from Belmont Abbey College, Johnson C. Smith University, and Clemson University. Between 1970 and 1971, he collaborated with civil rights activist Floyd B. McKissick to design Soul City, North Carolina, an experimental interracial community in eastern North Carolina.