Did you know that you can continue to stay connected to the Library while staying home? How would you like to participate in a virtual storytime with your family or receive resume help all from the comfort of your couch? Join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library every week for a wide range of virtual programming for children, teens and adults. See a complete listing of this upcoming programming for the week of 8/3/2020 below. Click the corresponding links for more information and register for programs where applicable.

Learn more about online programming by clicking here

Monday 8/3

Virtual Reading Buddies – 9 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)   Learn more

Online Listen and Move Storytime – 10:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Mindful Mondays – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Book a Librarian – Technology – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 2:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Traditional Storytelling – 3 p.m. (Children’s programming)   learn more

Stronger Together: Support for Your Job Search – 4 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Tuesday 8/4             

Virtual Reading Buddies – 9 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  Learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Cuentos Virtuales en Español - 10:30 a.m. (Children's programming)   learn more

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Creating Virtual Resumes with the Job Help Center – 1 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Engage 2020: Unmasking Your Voice – 1 p.m. (Teen programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

Nonprofit Services: Is Starting a Nonprofit Right for You? – 2 p.m.  (Adult programming)   register

Story Explorers Enrichment – 2 p.m.   (Children's programming)  learn more

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2:30 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Traditional Storytelling – 3 p.m. (Children’s programming)   learn more

Active Reading Training for Caregivers of 2-5 Year Olds – 2:30 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Engage 2020 Summer Series: A Conversation with Dakota Aiyanna – 6 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Wednesday 8/5

Virtual Reading Buddies – 9 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m.  (Children's programming)  Learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Online Listen and Move Storytime – 10:30 a.m. (Children's programming)   learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Teens LIVE on Instagram: Toasty Oat No Bake Cookies – 5 p.m. (Teen programming)  learn more

Engage 2020: 21-Day Racial Equity and Social Justice Challenge – 6 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Thursday 8/6

Virtual Reading Buddies – 9 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  Learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Cuentos Virtuales en Español - 10:30 a.m. (Children's programming)   learn more

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)     register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Creating Virtual Resumes with the Job Help Center – 1 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Active Reading to Build Phonemic Awareness – 3 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Book Talk: Children's – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Teens LIVE on Instagram: Create an Identity Map – 6 p.m. (Teen programming)   learn more

Friday 8/7

Virtual Reading Buddies – 9 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m.  (Children's programming)  Learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Baby Storytime – 10:30 a.m.  (Children's programming)  learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Ted Talks Discussion Group: What Makes You Happy? – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

Learning Circle: How to Be an LGBT+ Ally – 1 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Saturday 8/8

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m.  (Children's programming)  Learn more

Learning Circle: The Science of Well-Being – 9:30 a.m.  (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Library Codelab: Intro to Web Accessibility  – 11 a.m.  (Adult programming)  register

Be a part of the conversation. The year 2020 marks the centennial of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. In celebration of this historical achievement, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library partnered with the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) to launch the Engage 2020: Look Back, Move Forward program which focuses on civic engagement and more. Engage 2020 connects the community in a conversation about the history of voting in the United States, past and current civic and social trends, and spotlight the history of voting rights. The Library and DPLA built a collaborative digital collection to tell the stories of women, particularly Black women, engaged in the suffrage movement and encourage everyone to look back at what has been accomplished in the past and to move forward with empowerment to make a difference in one's own community. 

Learn more about Engage 2020 here

View the list below for historical resources and artifacts available for FREE with your Library card (or ONE Access ID number for CMS students and select schools):  

Engage in Your Community – This OverDrive booklist of e-books and e-audiobooks for all ages includes titles on women’s activism, civil rights and the Nineteenth Amendment.

Access

Engage 2020 List of Lists – You’ll find lots of great information here staff to support the Engage 2020 program, including booklists, podcasts, videos and more on civic engagement, women's voting rights, and current social and civic trends.

Access

HistoryMakers Digital Archive – Check out stories from the people who made history! HistoryMakers is an oral history collection highlighting the accomplishments of individual African Americans and African American-led groups and movements.  Hear from Katie Booth on her civic involvement in Chicago during the 1970s, or Reverend Dr. Jacquelyn Grant speaking about the division between black and white women in the abolitionist and women’s suffrage movements. 

Access

Digital Public Library of America (DPLA)

Digital Public Library of America offers first-person audio and visual resources on women’s suffrage and women’s right to vote. This is an extensive collection with over 2,200 results returned on the women’s suffrage movement, including primary-source documents and fact sheets to images, news articles, sound recordings, program recordings from shows like North Carolina Now and moving images. There is even a collection of “Women’s Activities – Suffrage – Washington DC” images by the War Department that have been housed in the National Archives. 

Visit the DPLA website for a one-stop digital discovery experience with access to millions of materials from a large national network of partners.

Access the Digital Public Library of America

North American Women’s Letters and Diaries

This resource provides fascinating and insightful information on sources such as Susan B. Anthony’s letters, entries from Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s memoirs and other leading figures of the suffrage movement. Under the advanced search option, select terms “women’s rights” and “voting rights” in the topic/theme field. Searching “Women’s Suffrage” yields 65 results of original-source documents including:

• The Life and Work of Susan B. Anthony: Including Public Addresses, Her Own Letters and Many from Her Contemporaries During Fifty Years, Vol. 1
• Elizabeth Cady Stanton, As Revealed in her Letters, Diary, and Reminiscences, Vol. 1
• The Grimke Sisters: Sarah and Angelina Grimke, The First American Women Advocates of Abolition and Woman’s Rights (Letters & Diaries)
• Letters from Mary McLeod Bethune written by Mary McLeod Bethune, 1875-1955 (1902), in Mary McLeod Bethune: Building a Better World, Essays and Selected Documents, edited by Audrey Thomas McCluskey and Elaine M. Smith. (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1999).
• Letters from Frances Ellen Watkins Harper written by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, 1825-1911 (1859); edited by William Still, 1821-1902 in The Underground Railroad Records: Narrating the Hardships, Hairbreadth Escapes, and Death Struggles of Slaves in Their Efforts for Freedom, edited by William Still. (Philadelphia, PA: Porter & Coates, 1872).
• Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Bondswoman of Olden Time, With A History of Her Labors and Correspondence Drawn from Her Book of Life written by Sojourner Truth, 1797-1883; edited by Olive Gilbert (Battle Creek, MI: Privately Published, 1878),
• James and Lucretia Mott: Life and Letters written by Lucretia Coffin Mott, 1793-1880; edited by Anna Davis Hallowell, 1831-1905 (Boston, MA: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1884)

Learn more

NCpedia

NCpedia is an online encyclopedia for exploring connections between specific topics and North Carolina. Search “women’s suffrage” and “women’s voting” to find various articles, books, photos and more about the women’s suffrage movement in NC. Also, from the main resource page under “Selected NC topics,” find a featured link to Women’s History which connects to various subtopics and links such as a timeline of major events.

Learn more

Missing the latest issue of HGTV magazine or looking at vacation destinations in Conde Nast Traveler? We’ve got you covered! With limited access to libraries, customers don’t have access to the print magazines Charlotte Mecklenburg Library provides on a weekly or monthly basis. The Library has offered titles digitally for several years through RBdigital magazines, but this year we expanded offerings to include more digital magazines to enjoy at home.

There are a lot of great additions with this expanded subscription.  New digital magazines include Garden and Gun, New York Magazine, New Scientist, The New Yorker, Bon Appetit, Architectural Digest, Soap Opera Digest, TV Guide, InTouch Weekly, and more!  There are specific magazines on hobbies such as coin collecting, knitting, sailing, and woodworking.  Children and teens can also access magazines, including Disney Girl, Chickadee, Highlights for Children, National Geographic Kids, J-14, Seventeen, Teen Vogue, and Junior Science. Click the "Filter" button on the top right side of the screen and select "Genre" to browse titles by age or category.

This expanded digital collection also provides magazines in Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Russian, and more. World Language editions of popular titles like Glamour, Cosmo, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, and Men’s Health are available. To find magazines in world languages, click the “Filter” button on the top right side of the page, select “Language” and check the box next to the language you’re interested in.

Access RBdigital magazines online or through the RBdigital mobile app for free with your Library card or ONE Access ID. Don’t have a card? You can apply for one online. If you already have an account to access RBdigital audiobooks, you are good to go. Need help getting started? Try RBdigital’s FAQs, call your local branch, register for a Book a Librarian – Technology (Virtual) session through the Library’s calendar page for 1-on-1 online help with a librarian, or try our “Ask a Librarian” chat service.

Happy reading!!

The history of North Charlotte began in 1903 when three textile magnates, William Holt from Alamance County, as well as Jesse Spencer and Charles W. Johnston, both of Charlotte, joined forces to build the Highland Park Mill Manufacturing Company and the surrounding mill villages.  

At the time of its construction, Highland Park Mill #3 was the city’s largest textile factory and combined productions in spinning and weaving, as well as the manufacturing of gingham. Designed by Charlotte textile architect, Stuart W. Cramer at a cost of $600,000, the plant covered 101,125 square feet. Two buildings comprised the mill, which eventually employed over 1,500 men, women and children.   

Highland Park Mill #3 was a “technological marvel,” as it was the first textile mill in North Carolina specifically designed and constructed to operate with electricity rather than steam power. A power plant built on Sugar Creek generated electricity to run the two area mills. In 1905, James B. Duke became involved in supplying electricity to the mill and constructed the Southern Power Company Transformer House, which still stands near the mill. By 1907, the owners of Highland Park Mill #3 could boast that the plant was the third largest producer of gingham in the United States. 

Courtesy of David Fincher.

 Like most communities built around a mill, the village eventually became a city within a city. Stuart Cramer designed the 1906 housing development for Highland Park Mill. The first streets were Davidson, Alexander, Myers, McDowell, Mallory Streets, as well as Charles, Faison, and Yadkin Avenues. Other residential areas came along later.  

The one area that emerged as the most significant to the residents in the area was the development of residential and commercial properties along 35^th and 36^th Streets. Charles Johnston and William Holt chartered North Carolina Realty Company with the assistance of developer Edward Dilworth Latta. Latta insured that a trolley line connected the mill village to the rest of Charlotte. Soon new businesses and churches sprung up in the area. North Charlotte now had its own business district that included a hotel, two drugstores, grocers, a police station, and the Astor Movie Theater.  

Johnston and Holt also provided their workers with an area for recreation. The Electric Park, as it was once known, contained a creek, a pond, and a community center which became a branch of the YMCA. 

View of Highland Park Mill. Courtesy of Mary Boyer, 1916. 

When the mill closed in 1969, the area around North Charlotte underwent turbulent economic times. Beginning in the 1990s, new business emerged along 36^th Street and developers interested in remodeling the older homes as well as constructing new ones. Today, it is one of the most vibrant cultural areas in the city. The old buildings now house restaurants, art galleries, craft stores, music halls and coffee shops. 

Interested in learning more about NoDa’s community history? View Charlotte historian Dr. Tom Hanchett’s video here --> bit.ly/2C48V0E 

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This blog was writtern by Shelia Bumgarner of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room

On August 18, 2020, our nation celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. This accomplishment proved an arduous journey, but women across the United States victoriously secured their right to vote after decades of effort.  

19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, 1920.  

Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration. 

 

The 19th Amendment was first introduced to Congress in 1878 and, while suffragists tirelessly advocated for the right to vote, most states were not in support of the amendment until 1912. Slowly, women's fearless efforts gained legitimacy and, in 1918, President Woodrow Wilson changed his position and supported the suffrage movement.  

Women’s suffrage has a more complicated history than many are likely aware of. This blog serves to highlight the countless challenges overcome by Black suffragists to attain the same voting rights as white men and women.  

Black women and the vote 

“...with us as colored women, this struggle becomes two-fold, first, because we are women, and second, because we are colored women.” - Mary B. Talbert, Crisis (1915) 

The Headquarters for Colored Women Voters in Chicago, 1916.  Courtesy of New York Public Library. 

Women’s rights and the antislavery movement shared momentum and partnerships prior to the Civil War. Both formerly enslaved and freed Black women joined in advocating for suffrage, racial and gender equality. Some of these women included Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Maria W. Stewart, Henrietta Purvis, Harriet Forten Purvis, Sarah Remond and Mary Ann Shadd Cary. 

Black women, despite their significant reform efforts and activism leading to the ratification of the 19th Amendment, faced additional challenges in racial marginalization and enduring white supremacist tendencies both inside and outside of suffrage organizations. 

The trend for white suffragists and white suffrage organizations began to lean toward choosing “expediency over loyalty” when it came to their Black counterparts. The “mainstream” suffrage movement prioritized white supremacist ideologies to increase support for white women’s voting rights over universal suffrage. 

15th Amendment to the United States Constitution, 1870. 

Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration.  

Most of the interracial suffrage efforts began to deteriorate with the proposal of the 15th Amendment in 1869, which declared the “right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” The Amendment was ratified in 1870. Many white suffragists felt threatened by Black men receiving the right to vote before white women did.*  

Leaders Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902) and Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) strongly disagreed with the 15th Amendment, cut ties with organizations who supported it, and formed the National Women Suffrage Association (NWSA). Stanton’s and Anthony’s discriminatory remarks toward Black men and women further severed relationships with Black suffragists, such as Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911).  

Figure 1. Frances E. W. Harper, c. 1898. Frontispiece of Harper’s Poems  

(Philadelphia: George S. Ferguson Co., 1898). Courtesy of the Library of Congress. 

Harper, an abolitionist, suffragist, speaker, educator, poet, writer and one of the first Black women to be published in the United States, supported the 15th Amendment. She joined the new American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA), an organization that believed in Black suffrage.  

The 15th Amendment serves as the cornerstone for discussions on how race and gender continue to become intertwined in the proposal and eventual ratification of the 19th Amendment. In the South especially, states did not uphold or enforce the 15th Amendment. White leaders knew that the passing of the 19th Amendment would compel the federal government to more strictly enforce the 15th Amendment, so they called for the 15th Amendment to be repealed. 

Mary Church Terrell. Courtesy of the Library of Congress. 

Mary Church Terrell (1863-1954), a founding member and the first president of the National Association of Colored Women (NACW), argued that “the reasons for repealing the Fifteenth Amendment differ but little from arguments advanced by those who oppose the enfranchisement of women.”  

Terrell was respected by many as one of the first African American women to receive a college degree, as well as a national activist for suffrage and civil rights. She joined Ida B. Wells in her efforts to elevate the status of Black women. 

Many white suffragists challenged Black women in asking why they need a ballot. Adella Hunt Logan, a Black writer, educator and suffragist, responded to their query:  

“If white American women, with all their natural and acquired advantages, need the ballot, that right protective of all other rights; if Anglo Saxons have been helped by it... how much more do black Americans, male and female need the strong defense of a vote to help secure them their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?” - Adella Hunt Logan, Colored American Magazine (1905) 

Black woman casting a ballot, c1920. 

Courtesy of Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images. 

The achievements made by Black suffragists are many and serve as a true testament to the fearless leadership and advocacy displayed on the journey to the ratification of the 19th Amendment. The Black community’s accomplishments are largely overlooked when learning about the suffrage movement and that must change. Women’s suffrage would not have been possible without the efforts of Black women educating, advocating and fighting for racial, gender and political equality. 

(*Black men secured the right to vote in 1870 when the 15th Amendment was adopted into the Constitution. Due to a long series of discriminatory legislation after the 15th and 19th Amendments were ratified, the Black community could not freely vote, especially in the South, until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The Act did not solve all voting problems faced by the Black community but continued to challenge state imposed voting restrictions and improved the overall voter turnout.) 

Women’s suffrage in the Queen City 

North Carolina did not show much support for the suffrage movement until November 1913 when Suzanne Bynum and Anna Forbes Lidell organized the Charlotte Chapter of the Equal Suffrage League (ESL). Only white men and women were admitted to this organization, excluding all persons of color.

On May 20, 1914, ESL members Suzanne Bynum, Anna Forbes Liddell, Catherine McLaughlin, Jane Stillman, Julia McNinch, Bessie Mae Simmonds and Mary Belle Palmer advocated for women’s suffrage during the May 20 parade, a local holiday celebrating the alleged Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. The unprecedented suffragist float attracted much attention to the suffrage movement.  

Image 1: Equal Suffrage League. May 20, 1914. Courtesy of the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. Image 2: Charlotte News article, May 21, 1914. 

Several months before the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, the National American Woman Suffrage Association’s (NAWSA) president, Carrie Chapman Catt, founded the League of Women Voters during the annual convention. Designed as a nonpartisan, grassroots organization, the League worked to assist the 20 million new female voters in understanding and executing their new civic duties. This organization of women is still active across the nation today, but, as with many other suffrage organizations, has a complex history.  

Unfortunately, Catt carried the same racist tendencies as many other white women in the suffrage movement, confirmed by her comment while lobbying to southern senators that “white supremacy will be strengthened, not weakened, by women’s suffrage.” Catt also blocked the Northeastern Federation of Women’s Clubs, a group of Black suffragists, from joining NAWSA to protect the political feelings of white voters.  

Early on in its history, the League had a different idea of diversity.  

Courtesy of the Charlotte Observer, June 8, 1926. 

The League of Women Voters has publicly recognized their early unforgiving history and admitted that "African Americans were shut out of the vision of the League,” but, “As we continue to grow our movement, we acknowledge our privilege and must use our power to raise the voices of those who haven’t always had a seat at the table.” During a time of difficult conversations, the League of Women Voters vowed to not only strive for better, but to do better. 

Despite the complicated racial and political issues endured by the League early in its history, the organization has proven to be a critical nonpartisan, activist, grassroots organization that values voter education and political and social reform. Women (and men) in the League dedicate their lives and careers to making sure that all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or gender have the tools to elevate their voices and advocate for change. Their mission of empowering voters and defending democracy has led them to become one of the most impactful and successful political groups in the country.  

The Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room houses the League of Women Voters Records, which are available for research (with restrictions due to the COVID-19 crisis).  

Look Back, Move Forward 

“Vote Baby Vote.” Courtesy of Gabriel Hackett, Getty Images. 

The theme for Engage 2020 is “Look Back, Move Forward.” Through Engage 2020, the Library is working to tell the incredible stories of how women, particularly women of color, engaged in the suffrage movement and other civic initiatives over the last 100 years. 

In order for our nation to move forward, we must look back on our history to better understand the injustices present in our community. Doing so enables us to move forward with a united front, advocating for equal rights for all. 

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This blog was written by Sydney Carroll of the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Charlotte League of Women Voters Records, 1920-2004. Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. 

Glasby, Heather. “Testing the 15th Amendment: Milton Claiborne Nicholas and the Legacy of the First Black Voters,” Prologue Vol. 48, No. 4 (Winter 2016). Accessed July 2020. https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2016/winter/15th-amend-nicholas 

Hamlin, Kimberly A. “How racism almost killed women’s right to vote: Women’s suffrage required two consitutional amendments, not one.” June 4, 2019. Accessed July 2020. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/06/04/how-racism-almost-killed-womens-right-vote/ 

Harley, Sharon. “African American Women and the Nineteenth Amendment.” National Park Service. April 10, 2019. Accessed July 2020. https://www.nps.gov/articles/african-american-women-and-the-nineteenth-amendment.htm 

Kase, Virginia. “Facing Hard Truths About the League’s Origin.” League of Women Voters. August 8, 2018. Accessed July 2020. https://www.lwv.org/blog/facing-hard-truths-about-leagues-origin 

Logan, Adella Hunt. “Woman Suffrage,” Colored American Magazine 9, no. 3 (September 1905): 487, quoted in Terborg-Penn, African American Women in the Struggle for the Vote, 60–61 

Micals, Debra, Dr. “Mary Church Terrell.” National Women’s History Museum. Accessed July 2020. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mary-church-terrell 

Talbert, Mary B. “Women and Colored Women,” Crisis 10, no. 4 (August 1915): 184. 

“The 19th Amendment.” National Archives. Accessed July 2020. https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/amendment-19 

"100 Years of League of Women Voters.” Accessed July 2020. https://www.lwv.org/about-us/history 

“15th Amendment.” History.com. November 27, 2019. Accessed July 2020. https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/fifteenth-amendment 

Another summer has flown by. This one has been quite unusual, and the Library appreciates our customers’ understanding in working through two challenges and changes to prize distribution.

The Library's focus throughout the past few months has been primarily on customer and staff safety, first and foremost. Though our original plan was to distribute Summer Break prizes during the Library’s reopening Phase 2, we are excited to announce that beginning on Monday, August 10, participants can begin claiming their Summer Break prizes!

Participants will have from Monday, August 10 until Saturday, September 26 to claim and pick up their prizes – while supplies last. As we are still being mindful of the safety of both customers and staff during Phase 1 (for more information, click here for the Library reopening plan), the process for claiming prizes is modified this year.

Customers may claim their registration prize of a FREE Wendy's Jr. Frosty coupon at any Library location.

For completion prizes, customers must call 704-416-7200 to claim their prize before visiting a library. Staff can assist them with their accounts and any questions as well as give them the next steps to get their prize. Customers who earn a Wendy’s Jr. Frosty coupon do not need to call the line above to claim, just visit any Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

What are the completion prizes?

Participants in Summer Break: Reading Takes You Everywhere have a chance to earn a completion prize when they achieve 600 points.

Completion prizes are:

• Babies/children: a book
• Teens: choice of a book or doodle notebook
• Adults: a Library totebag

All prizes are first-come, first-serve, while supplies last. Prizes cannot be held.

Last but not least, the final day to enter reading time and activities to count towards Summer Break: Reading Takes You Everywhere is Saturday, August 8! New for this year, you can continue to track your reading through Beanstack at any time. Be sure to check back later to register for more fun Library challenges in Beanstack.

Thank you for participating in the double Summer Break challenge! We hope you’ve had fun reading and learning all summer long. We’ll see you again next summer!!

Did you know that you can continue to stay connected to the Library while staying home? How would you like to participate in a virtual storytime with your family or receive resume help all from the comfort of your couch? Join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library every week for a wide range of virtual programming for children, teens and adults. See a complete listing of this upcoming programming for the week of 8/10/2020 below. Click the corresponding links for more information and register for programs where applicable.

Learn more about online programming by clicking here

Monday 8/10

Virtual Reading Buddies – 9 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  Learn more

Online Listen and Move Storytime – 10:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children’s programming)  register

Mindful Mondays – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian – Technology – 2 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 2:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Traditional Storytelling – 3 p.m. (Children’s programming)   learn more

Stronger Together: Support for Your Job Search – 4 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Podcast Discussion Club – 7 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Tuesday 8/11            

Virtual Reading Buddies – 9 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  Learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Cuentos Virtuales en Español - 10:30 a.m. (Children's programming)   learn more

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Creating Virtual Resumes with the Job Help Center – 1 p.m. (Adult programming)   

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming) register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

Story Explorers Enrichment – 2 p.m.   (Children's programming)  learn more

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2:30 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Sparking Creativity for Teens – 6 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Adult Fanfiction Writing Club – 6 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Engage 2020: Covid 19's Disproportionate Impact on People of Color – 7 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Wednesday 8/12

Virtual Reading Buddies – 9 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m.  (Children's programming)  Learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Bridging the Social Distance – 10 a.m.  (Adult programming)   register

Online Listen and Move Storytime – 10:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Teens LIVE on Instagram: Chocolate No Bake Cookies – 5 p.m. (Teen programming)   learn more

Active Reading Training for Caregivers of K-3 Students – 6 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Thursday 8/13

Virtual Reading Buddies – 9 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m. (Children's programming)  Learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

Cuentos Virtuales en Español - 10:30 a.m. (Children's programming)   learn more

Book a Librarian - Business Research – 11 a.m. (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)    register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment - 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Career Development Intensive Coaching – 12:30 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Creating Virtual Resumes with the Job Help Center – 1 p.m. (Adult programming) 

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book Talk: Children's – 3 p.m. (Children's programming)  learn more

Elevator Pitch – 4 p.m. (Children's programming)  register

Teen Fanfiction Writing Club – 4 p.m. (Teen programming)  register

Teens LIVE on Instagram: Tips for Your 1st Job Interview – 6 p.m. (Teen programming)  learn more

Friday 8/14

Virtual Reading Buddies – 9 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m.  (Children's programming)  Learn more

Nonprofit Services: Coffee & Conversation – 10 a.m.  (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Baby Storytime – 10:30 a.m.  (Children's programming)   learn more

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 11 a.m. (Children's programming)   register

Connect with Yourself - Meditation for Wellness – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Adulting 101 Series: Where Did the Time Go? Time Management – 12 p.m. (Adult programming)  register

Learning Circle: How to Be an LGBT+ Ally – 1 p.m. (Adult programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 1 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 2 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Book a Librarian - Technology – 2 p.m.   register

One-on-One Tutoring and Enrichment – 2:30 p.m. (Children's programming)   register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 3 p.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Saturday 8/15

Family Storytime – 9:30 a.m.  (Children's programming)  Learn more

Learning Circle: The Science of Well-Being – 9:30 a.m.  (Adult programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 10 a.m.  (Children's programming)  register

Virtual Reading Buddies – 11 a.m.  (Children's programming)   register

Library Codelab: Intro to Web Accessibility  – 11 a.m.  (Adult programming)  register

Creative Connections through Letter Writing – 3 p.m.  (Adult programming)  register

In 1920, the state of Tennessee ratified the 19th Amendment and thereby put women’s right to vote into the United States Constitution as the 19th Amendment. The 100th anniversary of this event takes place this month in an intensely political year. The Library has invited a speaker who can address both these topics, Dr. Marjorie Spruill, to participate in Engage 2020: Summer Series virtual program on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m.

Spruill is a Professor of History at the University of South Carolina with a specialty in women’s history and the history of the American South. Her book, "New Women of the New South," talks about the challenges the advocates for women’s right to vote faced in the early 20th century South.

Her most recent book, "Divided We Stand," describes the story of the struggle for the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s. Feminists argued for the ERA and conservative women organized to resist it. The ensuing political and cultural battle that lasted all decade and resulted in the defeat of the proposed amendment. The polarization of American politics that arose over this issue remains with us still, Spruill argues.

This program will be streamed live over the Library’s Facebook page. 

For more information on the Engage 2020: Summer Series - A Conversation with Marjorie Spruill, click here.

WOMEN VOTE! – That was the headline in August of 1920 as the 19th Amendment was ratified, and states could no longer deny the right to vote “on account of sex.” In commemoration of the centennial of this event, the League of Women Voters will present a program on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at 7 p.m.

The program will be hosted by community historian, Dr. Tom Hanchett, and will be streamed live by the Levine Museum of the New South and by its co-sponsor, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. Visitors to the Library’s Facebook page may view the proceedings and submit comments and questions via Facebook.

The League of Women Voters has been “encouraging informed and active participation in government” since 1920, when it changed its name from the “Equal Suffrage League,” following victory in the struggle for a women’s suffrage amendment. The seven Charlotteans pictured in this image from 1914 were all members of the Equal Suffrage League. 

In this election year, the Library is partnering with the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) offering programs like this one to encourage everyone to look back at what has been accomplished in the past and to move forward with empowerment to make a difference in one's own community. To learn more about Engage 2020, click here.

Get Carded

Are you without a Library card? Or know someone who doesn’t have one? The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library offers millions of resources in books, music, movies, materials, digital programs and virtual programming - all for FREE with a Library card. What are you waiting for?

Even Superheroes know it’s important to have a Library card. September is Library Card Sign-up Month, a time when libraries remind customers, parents, caregivers and students that signing up for a library card is the first step towards academic achievement and lifelong learning. Wonder Woman is here to remind everyone that libraries are wonderful and you shouldn’t wait to get your Library card - now’s the time.

Signing up for a Library card is easy and doesn’t require any superpowers. CLICK HERE to sign up for a Library Card and download the CMLibrary mobile app on your smartphone or tablet to place holds, access resources and much more.

In a world rapidly moving to an online format, access to digital resources  and educational materials is more important than ever before. With limits on in-person gatherings and adjusted work and school schedules, living room sofas, kitchens and bedrooms have transformed into workspaces. But what hasn’t changed is needing information – for education, work, extracurricular interests or just for fun. The Library’s mission is to improve lives and build a stronger community, and we encourage everyone in Mecklenburg County to sign up for a Library card to gain access to books, media and invaluable digital resources. Again, it’s all FREE.

FREE Digital Resources

The Library is a tremendous one-stop shop, not just for books but for digital resources and so much more. You can access virtual tutoring and homework help for children through Tutor.com. You can find the resources to support a new (or existing) business venture with Lynda.com. Maybe you want to perfect an existing skill--or learn a new one--with Universal Class. When you have a Charlotte Mecklenburg Library card, you can access a multitude of online resources available to you for FREE.

Maybe you love watching movies and listening to music? Film and music buffs can benefit from a Library card. With the kanopy, OverDrive, hoopla and Freegal apps that are available for FREE with a Library card, you can stream or download films, documentaries and the newest songs.

ACCESS RESOURCES

Value Like No Other

Do you know how much a Library card can save you? $100? $300? Even up to $1000! Subscription services can be pricey and tend to add up over the course of a calendar year, not to mention how much you might spend on books, magazines and music. There’s no need to pay for subscription services ever again. See how much you can save with the Library by using the Library Value Calculator. Input the number of books, magazines, DVDs, music and resources you’ve purchased or used in a year and you’ll be amazed at much you could save by switching to the Library. The numbers don’t lie; a Library card is a great value!

Virtual Programming from the Library

While our branches are open with limited capacity, the Library is always here to serve the community. Did you know that you can continue to participate in Library programming while staying home? How would you like to participate in a virtual storytime with your family or receive resume help all from the comfort of your couch? Join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library every week for a wide range of virtual programming for children, teens and adults.

See a complete listing of upcoming programming below.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER FOR PROGRAMS CLICK HERE

Sign up Today

Signing up for a Library card is super easy. CLICK HERE to sign up for a Library Card and download the CMLibrary mobile app on your smartphone or tablet to place holds, access resources and much more.

View this easy tutorial on how to sign up for a Library card online.

So, now that you know everything you can do with your Library card, what are you waiting for? Join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and “get carded” today!