The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture is the only institution of its kind in the Carolinas, dedicated to collecting, preserving, and presenting works by African-American artists and the broader cultural story of Black America. Named for Charlotte's first Black mayor, who broke the color barrier at Clemson University in 1963, the center opened in 2009 and is an anchor of the cultural Levine Center complex in Uptown.
The permanent collection spans visual arts, music, and literary materials. Rotating exhibitions have covered everything from civil rights photography to contemporary abstract painting. The center also runs an active programme of lectures, performances, and community events. Even visitors who pass through Charlotte quickly will find the Gantt Center a thoughtful and well-curated stop.
story: "Harvey Gantt, the man the center is named for, enrolled at Clemson University on January 28, 1963, becoming the first African-American student to attend an all-white state university in South Carolina. He went on to become an architect and later served two terms as Charlotte's mayor in the 1980s."