Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

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History Timeline

1992 - Night Racing

May 1992 - Light floods the Charlotte Motor Speedway and night racing begins. In the gripping race around the super-speedway track, the lead changes hands three times in the last lap. Driver Davey Allison is knocked unconscious, unaware until he wakes that he has won. Charlotte Speedway

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1982 - Harvey Gantt

The man who was the first black student at South Carolina's Clemson College becomes the first black mayor in Charlotte.Mayor Gantt

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1990 - Changing Faces

The number of Asian residents in Charlotte has tripled in just the last 10 years. As the region's population becomes more diverse, the changes are reflected in the variety of ethnic stores, restaurants and shops that spring up.

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1992 - Death of a Pioneer

September 14, 1992 - Somebody had to be first, Gus Roberts said. Now, the man who was one of Charlotte's desegregation pioneers has died. In 1957, he was the first black student at all-white Central High. Of the four students who broke this color barrier, only Gus Roberts graduated from the school he risked his life to integrate.

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1977 - Government Changes

Since the 1950s, south Charlotte businessmen have dominated local politics. Now, neighborhood groups and others work for district representation. This new method of structuring the voting districts gives black citizens an opportunity to elect members of their own communities to public office.

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1984 - Honoring Kelly Alexander, Sr.

August 18, 1984  - Kelly Alexander, Sr. is honored by Governor Jim Hunt and the NAACP (the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). Since 1948, Alexander has been a tireless advocate for the rights guaranteed to all citizens by the U.S. Constitution, called civil rights. He serves as president of North Carolina's state NAACP chapter, which has brought more desegregation lawsuits than any other

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1995 - Library of the Year

The Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County is named Library of the Year by Library Journal. It notes children's programs, genealogical resources and computer technology among the resources the library provides to a growing population with changing needs. Each year, the Novello festival draws thousands to see nationally known authors and book illustrators. The library has earned recognition for its innovative programs and community outreach.Charlotte Mecklenburg Library named Library of the Year

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1992- NC African Americans Elected

November 3, 1992  - Charlotte's Mel Watt and Warrenton's Eva Clayton are the first blacks from North Carolina elected to the U.S. Congress since the era that followed the Civil War more than 100 years ago.

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1968 - King Assassinated

April 4, 1968 - The Baptist minister who believes in non-violent protest has himself become a victim of violence. Inspirational leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is fatally shot in Memphis, Tennessee. More than 100,000 people attend King's funeral in Atlanta. A statue honoring him will be erected in Charlotte's Marshall Park, and dedicated on April 5, 1980. The nation will honor King's birthday as a national holiday observed the third Monday in January each year.

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1985 - Traffic Congestion

Charlotte-Mecklenburg's explosive growth is creating many challenges. Commuters traveling to and from work jam area roads. Highways can't handle the traffic in and out of the county. After many discussions and studies, $225 million is set aside, or allocated, to built a circular highway through the areas that surround the city. It will take more than 20 years to complete the Outerbelt.

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