Gantt, Harvey B. (Harvey Bernard), 1943-

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Harvey Bernard Gantt (born January 14, 1943) is an American architect and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he notably served as the first African American mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina and was twice the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from North Carolina.

Born in Charleston, South Carolina, he attended Iowa State University for one year before becoming the first African American to be admitted to Clemson University. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Clemson with honors in 1965. In 1970, Gantt earned an M.A. in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. During the 1970s, Gantt worked at various architectural firms in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he settled after receiving his degree from MIT. Between 1970 and 1971, he collaborated with civil rights activist Floyd B. McKissick to design Soul City, North Carolina, an experimental interracial community in eastern North Carolina. In 1971, Gantt left the Soul City project, returning to Charlotte to launch an architectural firm with Jeffrey Huberman. In 1974, Gantt’s political career began with his appointment to the Charlotte City Council to fill the seat vacated by Fred Alexander, the council’s only black member. Gantt served on the council until 1983. While on the council, he encouraged black voting and reformed the process of electing city council members.

In 1983, Gantt was nominated as the Democratic candidate for mayor and elected as Charlotte’s first African American mayor, serving two two-year terms before being defeated for re-election in 1987 by Republican Sue Myrick. Gantt unsuccessfully ran two U.S. Senatorial campaigns against Republican Senator Jesse Helms in 1990 and 1996. In the close and particularly bitter 1990 contest, Helms’ campaign used shrewdly-crafted TV ads targeting white fears about affirmative action, which Gantt’s supporters claimed were racially motivated. Gantt currently manages a successful architectural firm and remains active in politics. He has served on the North Carolina Democratic Party Executive Council, the Democratic National Committee, and the National Capital Planning Commission.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn King, Cyrus B., 1922-. Cyrus B. King papers, 1950-2008 [manuscript] North Carolina State University, NCSU Libraries
referencedIn David B. McCall Papers, 1939-1999 and undated, bulk 1980-1994 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn Sherman, Joe, 1912-1990. Joe Sherman collection, 1957-1975. Clemson University Libraries, Robert Muldrow Cooper Library
creatorOf Clemson University. Communications Center. Communications Center audio recordings, 1965-1980. Clemson University Libraries, Robert Muldrow Cooper Library
referencedIn Clemson University. Office of Admissions, Registration, and Financial Aid. Office of the Registrar correspondence, 1905-1970, bulk 1940-1955. Clemson University Libraries, Robert Muldrow Cooper Library
referencedIn Rice, J. Sherrard, 1917-2005. J. Sherrard Rice papers, 1928-1988. University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries
creatorOf Clemson University. Office of the President. Robert C. Edwards speeches. 1956-1979. 1960-1979. Speeches. Clemson University Libraries, Robert Muldrow Cooper Library
referencedIn Josephine Clement Papers, 1937-1998 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
creatorOf Clemson University. Office of University Relations. Office of University Relations records, 1965-1996, (bulk 1980-1992) Clemson University Libraries, Robert Muldrow Cooper Library
referencedIn William McWhorter Cochrane Papers, 1862-2002 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
creatorOf Thurmond, Strom, 1902-2003. Strom Thurmond speeches series 1935- Clemson University Libraries, Robert Muldrow Cooper Library
creatorOf Ellers, Joseph C., 1959-. Joseph C. Ellers collection, 1985-1988, undated. Clemson University Libraries, Robert Muldrow Cooper Library
referencedIn McNeill Smith Papers, 1937-1999 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Terry Sanford Papers, 1946-1993 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn William A. Clement Papers, 1930-1998 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Blumenthal family. Collection 1910-2004, 1945-2001 / Blumenthal family. University of North Carolina, Charlotte, J. Murrey Atkins Library
referencedIn Cyrus B. King Papers, 1950-2012 North Carolina State University. Special Collections Research Center
creatorOf Gantt, Harvey B. (Harvey Bernard), 1943-. Harvey B. Gantt : commercials , 1990. University of Oklahoma, Political Community Archives
referencedIn Clemson University. Office of the President. Robert C. Edwards presidential records. Correspondence. 1927-1966, 1959-1965. Clemson University Libraries, Robert Muldrow Cooper Library
creatorOf Brown, Edgar A. (Edgar Allan), 1888-1975. Edgar Brown papers. 1911-1975 : 1950-1972. Clemson University Libraries, Robert Muldrow Cooper Library
referencedIn Effron, Seth. Helms versus Gantt : newspaper clippings and other material on the 1990 North Carolina senate race between Jesse Helms and Harvey Gantt. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
creatorOf Gantt, Harvey B. (Harvey Bernard), 1943-. Papers, 1983-1987. University of North Carolina, Charlotte, J. Murrey Atkins Library
referencedIn Independent weekly records, 1982-2004. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
correspondedWith Blumenthal family. person
associatedWith Brown, Edgar A. (Edgar Allan), 1888-1975. person
associatedWith Charlotte Coliseum (Charlotte, N.C. : 1988- ) corporateBody
associatedWith Charlotte Hornets (Basketball team) corporateBody
memberOf Charlotte (N.C.). City Council corporateBody
associatedWith Charlotte (N.C.). Mayor corporateBody
associatedWith Clement, Josephine. person
associatedWith Clement, William A., 1912-2001 person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Clemson university corporateBody
associatedWith Clemson University. Communications Center. corporateBody
associatedWith Clemson University. Office of Admissions, Registration, and Financial Aid. corporateBody
associatedWith Clemson University. Office of the President. corporateBody
associatedWith Clemson University. Office of University Relations. corporateBody
associatedWith Cochrane, William McWhorter, 1917- person
associatedWith Ellers, Joseph C., 1959- person
almaMaterOf Iowa State University corporateBody
associatedWith King, Cyrus B. (Cyrus Baldwin), 1922- person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Massachusetts Institute of Technology corporateBody
associatedWith McCall, David B. person
associatedWith McKissick, Floyd B. (Floyd Bixler), 1922-1991 person
associatedWith Rice, J. Sherrard, 1917-2005. person
associatedWith Sanford, Terry, 1917-1998 person
associatedWith Sherman, Joe, 1912-1990. person
associatedWith Smith, McNeill. person
associatedWith Thurmond, Strom, 1902-2003. person
associatedWith University of Oklahoma. Political Commercial Archive. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Ames IA US
Charleston SC US
Cambridge MA US
Charlotte NC US
Subject
Advertising, political
African American mayors
Airports
City planning
Mayor
Stadiums
Television advertising
Transportation
Occupation
Architects
City council members
City planners
Civil rights activists
Mayors
Activity

Person

Birth 1943-01-14

Male

Americans

English

Information

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