Karen Flint

Ms. Allegra Westbrooks was born on March 13, 1921 in Cumberland, Maryland to Dr. Buford and Rowena Westbrooks. She attended Atlanta University School of Library Services and moved to Charlotte to begin working at the Brevard Street Library in Brooklyn in 1947 and became a member of the East Stonewall Ame Zion Church. She ran the library and began discussion groups to bring members of the African-American community into the library to use the services. She also worked the Book Mobile to bring books to African-American neighborhoods that lacked a well-supplied library. She was promoted to acquisitions for the Main Library in 1950 shortly before the Brevard Street Library was torn down during Urban Renewal in 1951.

Her memories of Brooklyn paint a picture of a tightly knit community that was targeted by Urban Renewal because it was considered the “weakest link” in the Charlotte area. However, regardless of that fact, it was a tremendous loss for the African-American community. The story of the Brevard Street Library delves into the issues of segregation and desegregation and the hard work and determination of the African-American community to find ways to have a strong and active community life. Read more…

Mr. John Thrower became a member of Charlotte’s City Council in 1961. He served in this capacity until 1967, at which time he took a ‘hiatus’ for two years. He decided to run for reelection in 1969, and upon reelection served for two more years. According to Mr. Thrower, he ran for reelection because he missed “all of the hubbub.” Mr. Thrower spoke of the city as a “cancer”: it deteriorated from the center and spread slowly outward. He favored Urban Renewal because it enabled Charlotte’s City Council to cure the ills of its downtown slums, and provided better housing for the inhabitants of the various slums. Mr. Thrower was born on June 23, 1928, off Plaza Road in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is the son of Herbert Thrower, and husband of the late Phyllis Isenhower, also of Charlotte, North Carolina. He attended Dilworth Elementary School, Alexander Graham Middle School, and Central High School. He was employed by McClellan’s Dime Store before serving with the United States Navy. He is the owner of Hertron International, LLC, a chemical company, located on Clanton Road in Charlotte.Read more…

Mr. George A. Wallace, Sr. is a leader in the black community and the grandson of a founder of the Grier Heights neighborhood. He works for a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of Grier Heights’ residents. In the interview Mr. Wallace gave information concerning the reasons why blacks throughout Charlotte who didn’t live in Brooklyn would visit; how the community was affected by urban renewal; different forms of entertainment for blacks in Charlotte; black entrepreneurship in Charlotte and how blacks should learn a lesson from urban renewal and support activism and home ownership in their communities.Read more…

Mr. Arthur Wallace, Sr. is both the oldest parishioner and the parishioner who has been attending Friendship Baptist Missionary Church the longest. Mr. Wallace is 87 years old. His association with the church dates back to 1933 when he became a member of the church, joined the choir and acted as the church custodian for the first 11 years of his association with Friendship Baptist Missionary Church. Arthur Wallace was born in the Brooklyn neighborhood as were his 6 children. Mr. Wallace provided insight into the divisions within the community and how the churches attempted to be inclusive, encouraging community. One division covered was the “haves” and “have nots” of the neighborhood. The interview was arranged by Friendship Baptist Church and the primary focus of the questions asked was on the church, the role of the church and the transition of the church from Brooklyn.Read more…

Mr. James “Slack” Steele is the son of Owen and Maggie Steele. He was born and raised in Charlotte and lived in Blue Heaven before moving into the Brooklyn area. He is 76 years of age and retired from a career as a postal worker as well as working in insurance and real estate. Mr. Steele attended Myers Street Elementary School and as he puts it the “Great Second Ward High School.” Upon graduation from Second Ward, he attended Johnson C. Smith for two years and then went into the military. He and his wife Barbara have been happily married for 48 years. Mr. Steele spoke about the feeling of love and family in the community of Brooklyn and his experience at the “Great Second Ward High School.” Mr. Steele is able to recall many of the businesses and churches within Brooklyn. He talks of growing up in Blue Heaven and his strong feelings and opinions about what urban renewal means to him. Mr. Steele also passionately speaks of his feelings towards the politicians during the time of urban renewal as well as today.Read more…