30+ people making Black history in Charlotte today

State of play: Some of Charlotte’s are still with us, like Dorothy “Dot” Counts-Scoggins, who integrated Charlotte’s schools on Sept. 4, 1957, Harvey Gantt, who became Charlotte’s first Black mayor in 1983 and James Ferguson, a civil rights attorney and a founding partner with Julius Chambers of the law firm Ferguson, Chambers and Sumter. 

• Counts-Scoggins, who lives near her childhood home in west Charlotte, remains an active community advocate.  
• Others are no longer with us, like Sarah Stevenson, the first Black woman to serve on Charlotte's school board and a longtime education advocate, and Charlotte native Kelly Alexander, a longtime Civil Rights activist and North Carolina lawmaker.

Here are more than 30 people shaping Black history in Charlotte today.

Business owners

Davita Galloway co-founded Dupp&Swat, a space for Black innovators that also includes a nonprofit arm called Crown Keepers, with her brother Dion in 2010. They will also open a salon and barbershop at Camp North End called Cell Therapy.

Lauren Hall and Selena Williams opened Ziva Postpartum Retreat in Uptown. It's Charlotte's first postpartum retreat that aims to provide new mothers with resources and support as they adjust to motherhood.

Jermaine and Damian Johnson created a Charlotte institution: No Grease! Barbershop, which has been around for more than 25 years. Their barber school has trained a new generation of barbers to not only cut hair but how to become entrepreneurs like them.

Cheryse Terry, a west Charlotte native, opened what she calls a "culture shop" on Beatties Ford Road in 2022. Her goal with Archive — which has coffee, books, Merck and events — is to preserve Black culture in Charlotte.

Dammit Wesley, co-owner of Blkmrktclt at Camp North End, is a multi-disciplinary artist and the creative architect of the Durag Festival — a highly anticipated annual celebration of Black culture.

Community leaders

J'Tanya Adams is the founder & Executive Director of Historic West End Partners, a nonprofit advocating for neighborhoods in west Charlotte.

Keith Cradle founded a nonprofit called Camping with Cradle to teach youth life skills through outdoor activities like camping and hiking.

Mattie Marshall, known by many as Ms. Mattie, is a longtime advocate of Historic Washington Heights in west Charlotte, where she has served as neighborhood association president for decades. She helped raise $275,000 to re-purpose the site of the former Ritz Theatre, a segregation-era theater, on Beatties Ford Road.

Creatives

Every artist preserving Black history through murals that tell stories around the city, particularly on Beatties Ford Road. 

Development

Christopher Dennis is behind the redevelopment at Beatties Ford Road and LaSalle Street, where Archive is located.

Education

Crystal Hill, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools superintendent, is working to restore community confidence in the district. She is the first Black woman to hold the position.

Valerie Kinloch, a Johnson C. Smith University alumna, returned in 2023 to lead her alma mater as its new president. Her leadership comes at a pivotal time for Charlotte's historically Black university: JCSU, she has said, must play a significant role in economic development in the changing West End neighborhood.

Aaron Randolph, co-founder and executive director, Carolina Youth Coalition, helps kids without means get to college.

Food

Chayil Johnson is the executive chef at Community Matters Cafe, a life skills program affiliated with the Charlotte Rescue Mission. Johnson was recently nominated for Best Chef: Southeast by the James Beard Foundation.

Media

Gerald Johnson is the publisher of The Charlotte Post, a Black newspaper dating back to 1878. Johnson’s father, Bill Johnson was the publisher before him, purchasing the paper in 1974.

Glenn Burkins founded and is the publisher of QCity Metro, a digital Black news outlet covering Charlotte since 2008.

Medical

Raynard Washington became Mecklenburg County’s public health director at the start of 2022, responsible for shaping the county’s response to COVID-19 and mpox.

Gene Woods is the CEO of Atrium Health, which doubled its size and is developing an innovation district and med school campus under his leadership.

Sports

Shelly Cayette-Weston, Charlotte Hornets' president of business operations, is at the helm of the business side as the organization prepares to build a new standalone practice facility across from Spectrum Center.

• The Hornets' general manager (Jeff Peterson), head coach (Charles Lee) and president (Cayette-Weston) roles are now all held by Black professionals.

Cornell Jones, founder of Mad Miles Run Club, helped make running cool and inclusive in Charlotte.

Donna Julian, Hornets Sports & Entertainment executive VP, has been the general manager for the Hornets' Uptown arena since it opened in 2005. She's a key force behind the Hornets' major renovations of Spectrum Center.

Darius Lockhart, is a Charlotte native who founded a pro wrestling and live entertainment company in 2023. ASÉ Wrestling has collaborated with a range of Black entertainers and wrestling legends to showcase Black history, culture and talent to global audiences.

Positions of power

Kieth Cockrell is the president of Bank of America Charlotte, making him essentially the corporation's top local banker focused on Charlotte.

Malcomb Coley, Charlotte managing partner at accounting firm EY, is the co-chair of the Mayor's Racial Equity Initiative.

Charles Thomas, a Charlotte native, is the Knight Foundation director in Charlotte, providing grant funding to different projects throughout the city.

Marcellus "MT" Turner is the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library CEO/chief librarian. He’s at the helm as the library builds a new main branch and expands throughout the county.

Marcus Jones is Charlotte's city manager, meaning he's responsible for running the city. He's also the first Black person to hold the position.

Marvin Ellison is CEO of Mooresville-based Lowe's, which a few years ago opened a massive new tower in South End to house its tech hub.

Mayor Vi Lyles is Charlotte's first Black female mayor.

Spencer Merriweather became the county’s first Black district attorney in November 2017.

Go deeper: 80+ Black-owned businesses in Charlotte you can support right now

Editor's note: This is a snapshot of the Black Charlotteans shaping the future of the city and not intended to be a comprehensive list. But if you have someone you think we should've included, reach ou at [email protected].

• This story was originally published on Feb. 6, 2023 and was last updated on Feb. 10, 2025.