Category: Westside Stories
My World to Charlotte
My World to Charlotte is about a young girl traveling from Brooklyn, New York to Charlotte, North Carolina. The crime in Brooklyn was something the scholar was trying to escape, but when reaching Queen City, she finds that every place has its problems. She determines it is up to the person to try something different. The violence and poverty in every state might not be the same but still occurs. The public should do more to come together for a more civilized environment to fix the world’s problems. See what this young scholar discovers about the world everyone shares.
Securing the Compound Leadership Contest
Deadline for Securing the Compound Contest videos is Friday March 23 at 5:00 p.m. See details below to win a visit to the Police Academy (with a friend) for a Simulation Shootout Experience and an Apple iPod Touch.
“You can’t lead the people if you don’t love the people. You can’t save the people if you don’t serve the people.” – Cornel West, Hope on a Tightrope : Words and Wisdom (2008)
Leadership is more than being in charge, more than giving orders. Leadership can come from many places and in many forms. Sometimes led by fiery words and a strong voice, but other times it is the quiet leadership of patience and perseverance that inspires the most. Leadership can come from first responders, politicians and religious figures, but it also comes from the often silent example of others that guides and instructs. Tell … Read More »
“Back in da day” Johnson C. Smith University Student Hangouts
Do you remember Johnson’s Café, Veteran’s Grill, Club Ballet and the Excelsior Club? Harry T. Webb, freshman class 1953, sure does. He remembers card playing on the second floor and treating a young lady to ice cream on the first floor of Johnson Café. Webb loved the hot burgers, cold beer and live music at the Veteran’s Grill. According to Webb, Club Ballet and the Excelsior Club may have been located off Beatties Ford Rd but only the sophisticated people made it in the Excelsior Club. Where were your hangouts when you where at Smith?
Pay It Forward Contest and tht Winner
The story below tells of civil rights struggles and victories. This video is the Pay-It-Forward winner and the meeting at the Harvest Moon Grille. Come Learn about the dinner’s significance.
Charles Jones and Ron Corley tell of segregation/desegregation and the ironic twist that Professor Laurie Porter discovered about their families’ connection.
E-mail a link to your story on Facebook or in 2-3 minute video format for You Tube to the RUNDNC Contact Page for a chance to win a symbolic Freedom Ride and walk “through the front door” together of the Historic Dunhill Hotel and the Harvest Moon Grille. Lots of paparazzi…
Add Your Photos & Stories to Display during the DNC
Professor Cole and her students will work to create a digital photo gallery display to represent our community during the activities of the DNC:
“Life in Urban America: Through the Eyes of Westside Charlotte.”
Throughout the RUN-DNC project, we will also conduct interviews with our Facebook “favorites” to display on the site during the convention.
Current students will create video pieces about history from the Civil Rights Movement & link them to video pieces about student life today.
Identifying our Smith Students
26th January
Our Public History students are adding photographs from your collections and the Digital Smith Collections and archives to put names with faces. Is this you? What was happening?
Attorney Charles Jones
8th January
A Westside resident and former JCSU student, Charles Jones was featured on Oprah, in movies, and in multiple articles as a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Jones shared photographs and stories about lunch counter sit-ins, the chain gang, meetings with Dr. King, and the Freedom Ride.
