Harvey Gantt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harvey Gantt
|
|
|---|---|
.png)
Gantt as a Clemson student c. 1964
|
|
| 50th Mayor of Charlotte | |
| In office 1983–1987 |
|
| Preceded by | Eddie Knox |
| Succeeded by | Sue Myrick |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Harvey Bernard Gantt
January 14, 1943 Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Lucinda Brawley |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Iowa State University Clemson University (BArch) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MUP) |
Harvey Bernard Gantt (born January 14, 1943) is an American architect and Democratic politician. He is known for his work in North Carolina. He was the first African-American student to attend Clemson University. He later became the first black Mayor of Charlotte.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Harvey Gantt was born in Charleston, South Carolina. His parents were Wilhelminia and Christopher C. Gantt. His father worked in a shipyard.
Even in high school, Harvey was involved in the civil rights movement. This movement worked to gain equal rights for all people, especially African Americans.
In 1963, he made history. He became the first African American student to be allowed into Clemson University in South Carolina. He studied architecture there and graduated with honors. Later, he earned a Master's degree in City Planning from MIT.
Political Career
Serving Charlotte
After college, Gantt started an architecture business in Charlotte, North Carolina. He then decided to get involved in local government.
From 1974 to 1983, Gantt served on the Charlotte City Council. This group helps make important decisions for the city. In 1983, he was elected as the first African-American mayor of Charlotte. He served two terms, from 1983 to 1987. He worked to improve the city for everyone.
Running for U.S. Senate
In 1990, Gantt decided to run for a bigger role. He ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate for North Carolina. He was a Democrat. He ran against the person who was already in office, Republican Jesse Helms.
During his campaign, Gantt focused on important issues. These included jobs, education, and health care. He did not focus on race. However, some advertisements used during the election tried to bring race into the discussion. One ad showed a white person's hands crumpling a letter. A voice said that someone might lose a job because it had to be given to a minority. This ad tried to make people feel that fairness was being ignored.
Gantt lost this election. He ran against Helms again in 1996 but lost that election too.
After Politics
Even after his time as mayor and his Senate campaigns, Harvey Gantt remained active. He continued to manage his successful architecture business, Gantt Huberman Architects.
He also stayed involved in politics. He served on the North Carolina Democratic Party Executive Council. He was also part of the Democratic National Committee. He was even chosen to lead the National Capital Planning Commission in Washington, D.C. This group helps plan the development of the nation's capital.
In 2009, Charlotte honored Harvey Gantt. They built the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture. This center recognizes his important work in the civil rights movement. It also celebrates his time as Charlotte's first black mayor. The center is a large, four-story building. It is part of the Levine Center for the Arts.
In 2016, a TV series called "Biographical Conversations" featured Gantt. In this series, he shared stories from his life. These included his time at Clemson University and becoming Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Personal Life
Harvey Gantt is married to Lucinda (Brawley) Gantt. She was also a pioneer, being the second black student to attend Clemson. They have four children: Sonja, Erika, Angela, and Adam. Their daughter, Sonja Gantt, used to be a news anchor in Charlotte.
See also
- African-American architects
- List of African-American United States Senate candidates
