This blog was written as part of the 2021 Community Read program. Learn more about Community Read and take the pledge here.

Community Read has something for everyone this year, especially children and families! You Matter by Christian Robinson is our companion title for younger children (ages 2+). The simple but engaging text and illustrations convey a message of resilience and demonstrate how we all relate and contribute to the world around us. Want to explore You Matter in different ways? We’ve got you covered! 

Explore the outdoors with a Storywalk at Seversville Park (530 S. Bruns Avenue, Charlotte) that features You Matter (or visit one of our other four Storywalk, which all feature stories related to Community Read this month!). Can’t make it to the park? Watch this video of the You Matter Storywalk featuring a very special guest (Sir Purr of the Carolina Panthers!). How about a soothing read-aloud? Retired NASA astronaut Joan Higginbotham reads You Matter in this video. Or join any of our online storytimes throughout the month that will feature You Matter and related titles! (Don’t worry if you end up reading You Matter multiple times! Repetition is such an important part of learning. Reading a book more than once is a great way to reinforce vocabulary and build a love of reading and stories.)

We also have great programs throughout the month for children in elementary school. Check out this list of online Community Read programs for children ages 5-11. Join a book club or Story Explorers program. Get to know other kids in the community, discuss books, and complete fun activities! Everyone in your family can pledge to participate in Community Read: read a book, share perspectives, attend a program, and more! Please make sure to take our pledge and register for the Community Read Beanstack challenge! Check out the Community Read page for everything you need to get started.

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This blog was written by Jesse Isley, children's services leader for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

It’s National Women’s History Month!

Celebration of women’s contributions to and successes in American history was first observed in Sonoma, California’s school district in 1978. The celebration consisted of weeklong festivities that included a parade and a “Real Woman” essay contest that recognized women’s achievements in culture, history and society.   

By 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued a presidential proclamation declaring the first week of March as National Women’s History Week. The following year, the U.S. Congress established National Women’s Week as a national celebration. In 1987, the National Women's History Project petitioned for a monthlong celebration, which the organization was successfully granted.  

International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8, has been observed since 1911 and sponsored by the United Nations since 1975. 

There are countless women in Charlotte’s history that made a lasting impact on our community. Here is a list of some of those women and their accomplishments:  

Thereasea Clark Elder (1927-2021) grew up in the Greenville neighborhood in Charlotte, NC. She attended West Charlotte High School, studied nursing at North Carolina Central University in Durham, and completed a certification program in Public Health Nursing at UNC-Chapel Hill. While in Durham, Elder enlisted in the United States Cadet Nurse Corps at Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing. She moved back to Charlotte where she worked at Good Samaritan Hospital after graduation, later accepting a job as a public health nurse for Mecklenburg County in 1962. She is remembered for her leadership in breaking the color barrier in the County’s public health service. Elder was also active in her community, serving in the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women and on the Board of Greater Carolinas Chapter of the American Red Cross. 

Jane Smedberg Wilkes (1827-1913) is remembered as the Godmother of Charlotte Hospitals. Among her many charitable works, Wilkes was especially interested in improving medical care in the community. Like so many women of her day, she volunteered at one of the local military hospitals during the Civil War. In 1878, she joined a group of local women from St. Peter’s Episcopal Church to establish St. Peter's Home & Hospital. A tireless fund-raiser, Mrs. Wilkes often asked wealthy relatives in the North for donations to finance hospital improvements. In 1888, the money she raised allowed Wilkes and her supporters to open Good Samaritan Hospital, North Carolina's first hospital for Black patients. 

Anita Stroud (c1899-1984) grew up in poverty in South Carolina and decided to dedicate her life to children in need, especially during the holiday season. For half a century, she hosted after-school programs and organized activities to care for at-risk children in Charlotte. She also organized holiday dinners and festivities, so her “children” never missed out on winter celebrations. The Anita Stroud Foundation has continued her work since her death in 1984.

Harriet Morrison Irwin (1828-1897) attended Salem Female Academy in Winston-Salem for college, where she studied literature, religion, history, and some math, among other subjects. Harriet enjoyed writing and submitted articles to The Land We Love, Charlotte’s first magazine. In addition to writing, she had a passion for engineering and architecture. In 1869, she designed and received a patent for a hexagonal house. She was the first woman to receive an architectural patent in the United States. 

 

Dr. Annie Lowrie Alexander (1864-1929) was the first female physician in North Carolina. She lived during a time when the idea of any woman becoming a doctor horrified many people. Nevertheless, she persevered and served a successful practice for over forty years, leaving behind a legacy of devotion to her patients and the professional respect of her colleagues.

Annie Smith Ross (1867-1924) assumed her duties as the first professionally trained library director in Charlotte on January 3, 1903. She is seen here in the Carnegie Library Reading Room soon after it opened. She served as the director until 1909 when she retired.  

Dovey Johnson Roundtree (1914-2018) was a native Charlottean and a graduate of Second Ward High School and Spellman College. Roundtree broke barriers wherever she went. After serving in the Women’s Auxiliary Corps in WWII, she earned a law degree from Howard University and won the landmark case that ended segregation on interstate busing. In 1961, she was ordained in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and served as a minister as well as an attorney. [Photo courtesy of the New York Times]

Julia McGehee Alexander (1876-1957) was the first woman in Charlotte to practice law. A leader in the Suffrage Movement, she quickly became involved in local politics after the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified on August 18, 1920. In 1925, she became the first woman to serve in the State House of Representatives. Women today have the privilege of voting due to the endless efforts of women like Julia. 

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Various Chapters: DAR was founded in 1890 as a national society of women dedicated to historical preservation, education and patriotic behavior. In 1949, members of Charlotte’s local chapters joined forces to save the Hezekiah Alexander House for future generations to enjoy and study.  

Mary Myers Dwelle (1891-1975) served as the President of the Charlotte Women’s Club at the height of the Great Depression. She spearheaded the campaign to save the US Mint that was demolished in 1933. The two-day campaign enabled Myers to pay the demolition contractor and have the building’s remains moved to land donated by E.C. Griffith. After three years of fundraising, the building was restored and an inaugural gala on October 22, 1936 marked the beginning of the Mint Museum of Art. [Dwelle is the woman on left] 

Allegra Westbrooks (1921-2017) was the first African American public library supervisor in North Carolina. Westbrooks was hired by the Charlotte Public Library in 1947 as the head of Negro Library Services for the system, based at the Brevard Street Library in Second Ward. After the library system desegregated in 1956, she was promoted to Head of Acquisitions and later Assistant Director. Ms. Westbrooks’ career with the Library spanned 35 years, but her legacy continues today. 

Bonnie Ethel Cone (1907-2003) is best known as the driving force behind the development of the UNC-Charlotte. She came to Charlotte as a mathematics teacher at Central High School (the forerunner of Garringer High School). After World War II, she taught at Central High School's College Center for returning GI's. In 1957, the college center became a state supported community college. She served as Charlotte College Director from 1949-1961; Charlotte College President from 1961-1965; UNCC acting chancellor from 1965-66; and UNCC Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Community Relations from 1966-1973. [Photo courtesy of UNCC, Atkins Library.] 

"Martha Evans accepting the Charlotte Woman of the Year award, 1956." 

Martha Evans (1910-1979) was the first woman elected to the Charlotte City Council, serving from 1955-1959. She later went on to serve in the North Carolina General Assembly from 1963-1965, and the Senate from 1965-1970. As a legislator, Evans advocated for causes rooted in education and mental health, including a universal kindergarten system, licensing of day care centers, and supporting the educational needs of the mentally challenged. [Photo courtesy of WBT/WBTV]  

Betty Daniels Feezor (1925-1978) was a native of Texarkana, Arkansas, but moved to Charlotte in 1953 at the request of WBTV. She hosted the Betty Feezor Show from 1953-1977. In 1958, it became the station’s first show video-recorded in color. Feezor was one of the most popular local TV personalities in Charlotte. She was the author of numerous cookbooks. Her untimely death in 1978 from brain cancer was greatly mourned by locals.  

Hattie Leeper (1930-), commonly known as “Chatty Hattie,” was the first African American woman on the radio in North Carolina. Her radio career began at Charlotte’s WGIV Radio in the 1950s, and later in her career, she was inducted into both the Black Radio Hall of Fame and North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. In 1973, she taught Communication at several colleges, to include Johnson C. Smith University and Gaston College. After retiring in 1998, she ran her own communications school in Charlotte.  

Dorothy Counts (1942-): On September 4, 1957, Dorothy Counts was the first Black student at Harding High School. She was met with an angry crowd throwing rocks and screaming at her. After receiving death threats, Counts' parents decided to withdraw her from Harding and transfer her to another school. She has been an instrumental civil rights activist in not just Charlotte's history, but also our nation's history. Her fearless efforts continue to impact our community today.  

Mary Oates Spratt Van Landingham (1852-1937) was an officer in the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution as well as a member of the North Carolina Society of Colonial Dames. Through her work, she helped raise funds for St. Peter's Hospital and publicized the importance of historical places and people. Descended from Colonial-era settlers, she was married to hardware merchant John Van Landingham. She was widely known for her outspoken opinions and wrote frequently about current and historical events for local and regional newspapers.  

Ella B. Scarborough (1952-) is one of three county commissioners that serves the Mecklenburg County community. She is involved in the Economic Development Committee, which encourages economic growth for people and businesses. Her efforts on the committee led her to becoming the Vice Chair in 2015. Her involvement in community service began in 1987 when she became the first African American female council member. She is involved in six other organizations in Charlotte and is well known in the "Who's Who in the World of Women" 1980 and Special Libraries and Information Sciences 1982 for her strong research and assembly of archival information. [Reference and photo courtesy of MeckNC.gov]  

Amelia Earhart (1897-1937) landed her aircraft on the dirt field at Charlotte’s privately owned airport on November 10, 1931, while on a promotional tour for Beech-Nut chewing gum. She is seen here with Clarence “Booster” Kuester, Executive Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce, on her right. Earhart encouraged local officials to build a public airport in Charlotte, who acted quickly to pass a bond referendum. The city also received a federal grant from the Works Project Administration (WPA) in the early 1930s, which enabled them to begin construction of the Charlotte Municipal Airport (now known as Charlotte Douglas International Airport). The airport officially opened in 1937.  

Hilda H. Gurdián is the CEO and co-founder of La Noticia, the largest Spanish-language newspaper between Washington, DC, and Atlanta, GA.  She and her husband founded the newspaper in April 1997 after moving to Charlotte from Caracas, Venezuela in 1992 with their two sons. La Noticia (as of 2020) serves over 300,000 readers in the state, with publications printed in Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, and Asheville. In 2019 alone, La Noticia received 35 José Martí Awards, making it the most awarded Spanish-language paper in the United States. [Photo courtesy of Charlotte Magazine]

Charlotte Kelly (1897-1988) was a professional astronomer who graduated from Wellesley College in 1919. In Charlotte, Kelly is best remembered as the Star Lady in recognition of her great commitment to sharing her knowledge and love of astronomy with the community. She was a guiding force in the development of the Charlotte Nature Museum's planetarium and the educational programs that it hosted. She became its first director. When she retired from the planetarium in 1969, the planetarium, now located at Discovery Place, was named in her honor as The Charlotte A. Kelly Planetarium.  

Dorothy Simpson Masterson (1897-1991) is referred to by many as Charlotte's First Lady of the Theatre. Masterson used her talent and interest to guide the formation of the Mint Museum Theatre Guild. In 1954, she was instrumental in developing the Mint Museum's Golden Circle Theatre Guild. She also directed and taught drama in Charlotte for many years. In 1970, Dorothy Masterson was named Charlotte's Outstanding Career Woman of the Year. She is listed in the 1974-1975 edition of Who's Who in the United States. In 1983, she was presented with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in recognition of her service to the community and state. Masterson retired from directing in 1977 but remained active in local theatre activities until she relocated to Baltimore in 1987.  

Rosalie Hook Gwathmey (1908-c2001) was born in Charlotte, North Carolina on September 15, 1908. She was the daughter of successful architect, Charles C. Hook, and Ida MacDonald Hook. After studying painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and Art Students League of New York, she became fascinated with photography and joined the Photo League in 1942. Gwathmey became well known for her photos of the Black southern community in Charlotte, North Carolina. Many of the scenes she captured became the inspiration for her husband’s (Robert Gwathmey) paintings. 

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This blog was co-authored by Sydney Carroll and Shelia Bumgarner, archivist and historian of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room 

This blog was written as part of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Black Lives Matter program initiative. Learn  more about the program and corresponding events here.

A few years ago, while shelving books one day at West Boulevard Library, I stumbled across the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. While I was not familiar with Mrs. Lacks or her story, I was immediately drawn to the title. I checked it out and eagerly waited to dive into the text. But I soon realized that nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to read.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks details the story of Henrietta, a Black Southern tobacco farmer, whose poverty-stricken family rigorously worked the same land as their slave ancestors. She was a beautiful wife and loving mother that was dedicated to her family. In 1951, Lacks went to John Hopkins Hospital in Maryland with complaints of abdominal pain and feeling what she described as a “knot” in her womb. Over time her condition worsened and it was discovered that Henrietta had cervical cancer that metastasized to other parts of her body. Sadly, she succumbed to her illness on October 4, 1951 at age 31.

On one of her numerous visits to Johns Hopkins, the only hospital that would see Black patients at the time, a biopsy was performed on Mrs. Lacks. Without proper consent the cells retrieved from her biopsy were sent to Dr. George Gey, a top cancer and virus researcher, to be studied at his prominent tissue lab. Amazingly, unlike other cancer cells being researched Mrs. Lacks’ cells doubled every 24 hours. Her cells were nicknamed “HeLa” and were used to study the effects of drugs, toxins, and viruses on the growth of cancer cells and her cells were heavily utilized to learn more about how viruses worked and played a vital role in the polio vaccine.

But while all these monumental discoveries were taking place, Mrs. Lacks’ family was left in the dark. The findings made using Mrs. Lacks’ cells were extremely lucrative for the companies and individuals involved, while at the same time, Mrs. Lacks’ family was still poverty-stricken as researchers continued use of her cells until decades later.

In The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Skloot details this tragic but also inspiring story. Mrs. Lacks’ cells were vital to our current medical advancements, and stories like this are vital because they highlight the racial disparities faced by Black women in the healthcare system. Without this story being told, the institutional racism that many Black women currently face would continue to be overlooked.

In honor of Women’s History Month, I would encourage everyone to read this book and others that spotlight the little-known but globally impactful stories of women of color throughout history.

check out the book here     Check out the movie here

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This blog was written by Cearra Harris, teen librarian at West Boulevard Library.

On March 31, 2021, Lee Keesler retires as the first CEO of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library after serving in this role since 2012.

Lee has always had an affinity for the Library and he truly understands the impact it has on each of us. One of Lee's favorite stories to share is as a young child, his mother would load up their little red wagon with all the books he and his siblings had checked out and they would walk to the Myers Park Library to return them. Once there, they would check out more books and fill that little red wagon once again before returning home. 

March 31, 2021 is Lee Keesler Day in Charlotte, NC. Join us in celebrating Lee's accomplishments and his service to the Library. #CMLibraryLeeKeeslerDay

On March 19, 2021 Lee was awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine by Governor Roy Cooper.

The Legacy

Lee Keesler, a Charlotte native, has demonstrated a passion for his hometown that is evidenced in more than three decades of exemplary leadership in the corporate, nonprofit and community service sectors. He has made significant and impactful contributions to our community, improving lives and creating opportunities for those who live, work and play in Mecklenburg County. 

Before coming to the Library, Lee had a long and successful career in the banking industry serving as an Executive at First Union (now Wells Fargo) from 1980 to 2004, leaving corporate America to devote his career to public service. During the next 15 years, he worked with two transformative nonprofit organizations in Mecklenburg County, leaving both much better than he found them. Along the way he also served on numerous community boards including Queens University of Charlotte, Charlotte Center City Partners, ArtsTeach, the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, the United Way of Central Carolinas and the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.

Lee’s crowning achievement has been his nine-year service to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. As the Library’s first Chief Executive Officer, Lee took the leadership reigns of the library system following the 2008-2009 recession. His immediate task was leading the Library forward with an unwavering commitment and vision to rebuilding and reimaging the Library’s next chapter as a beloved and essential community resource. 

Lee strongly believes that literacy and lifelong learning and access to information are fundamental to our way of life; he made it his and the Library’s mission during his tenure to make sure everyone in our community has access and that the Library is a welcoming and inclusive space for all. 

In his role as Charlotte Mecklenburg Library CEO, Lee was successful in building stronger community relationships and engagement, fiscal responsibility and 21^st century access and excellence across the system.

Other highlights of Lee’s accomplishments include: 

• He helped found, organize and staff the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation. 
• He led a long-term strategic planning process to envision the Library’s future. The process engaged the community and looked at current challenges and opportunities including growth patterns, demographics, learning trends, shifts in technology and more. The result is the 2025 Essential Plan that guides the Library’s priorities. 
• He promoted economic opportunity via education and workforce development through a series of innovative programs and partnerships, including CMS - ONE Access, a targeted partnership with high schools around college and career connections, curriculum tied to specific library databases, and professional development shared among staff of both organizations. 
• He oversaw rebranding of the library and committed to strategic marketing and digital communications to better tell the compelling story of how libraries serve and are essential to all in our community. 
• He led the launch of the systemwide internal culture initiative in 2018 called FOREWORD with six guiding principles that led to better communication, collaboration, unity and retention throughout the organization. 
• He helped develop a stronger, more diverse, engaged and active board of trustees, better reflecting the voices and needs of our community. 

Under Lee’s steady leadership, The Library became more accessible, engaged, digital and sustainable. When he retires on March 31, 2021, he leaves behind a revitalized and relevant Library system that will soon break ground on a $100 million, 115,000-square-foot Main Library in Uptown Charlotte. 

Thanks to Lee’s leadership and strong support from the county, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library ably welcomes and serves a growing, ever-changing community while earning national recognition for its work.

From all of us at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, we wish Lee and his family all the best. He will be missed!

Lee Interviews Tom Hanchett in the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room.

This article was written by Ed Williams, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Trustee.