Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade 

Every third weekend in August, Charlotte Pride holds its annual Pride Festival and Parade. Since Charlotte’s first Pride Parade in 2013, it’s grown bigger, better and has attracted hundreds of thousands of people. In 2018, 165,000 people attended Pride. This year, over 200,000 attended with over 6,000 participants. 

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library  

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library prides itself on being a welcoming place for all—a place where we celebrate diversity and inclusion. As part of that mission, the Library started participating in the Pride Parade in 2018 by being one of the many groups to walk in the parade. Our group photo of that day gained the most likes on Instagram of all the library posts up to that point. During the parade, it was clear by the amount of people excitedly shouting, “It’s the library!” that our participation was important to our community.

This year the Library also held a Pride Summit at Beatties Ford Regional Library on August 13, organized by Viviette White. The Summit brought community members and organizers alike to the library. Participants met established and emerging leaders from organizations such as One Voice Charlotte, PFLAG Charlotte, Atrium Health and the Library for an afternoon of learning, networking and the kick-off of Pride week at the library. This event was the first of its kind and hopefully the first of many more LGBTQ+ events in the library system.  

This year, 25 staff members and their families from different library locations participated in the parade and represented the system by walking. One of the participants said, “I’m so glad I was able to participate. Seeing how supportive and appreciative the community was makes me glad the Library is involved. I can’t wait to participate next year!” Those who were not able to attend the parade aided in various way leading up to the event. Thank you to all who supported our efforts to bring Library resources to the Charlotte community and helping us build a stronger community!  

Happy Pride! You are welcome here. 

Beyond the Parade:  

Although Charlotte Pride is over for this year, the Library provides the community with many LGBTQ+ resources and materials throughout the year. Here are a few: 

Library Booklists 

During the parade we handed out bookmarks with book recommendations for children, teens and adults. You can view those books here.  

The American Library Association’s Rainbow Books List is a curated bibliography highlighting books with significant gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer/questioning content, aimed at children and youth from birth to age 18.

The first and most enduring award for GLBT books is the Stonewall Book Awards, sponsored by the ALA’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Round Table.

Community Resources and Organizations 

Time Out Youth is a Library partner and an organization that provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth to be their authentic selves.

PFLAG Charlotte provides support for parents and caregivers of LGBTQ youth. They have some great resources available here.

For more information on Charlotte Pride, check out their website. They host a lot of other events throughout the year as well.

This blog was written by Abs Keller

Summer is the perfect time for fun, mystery reading but, admittedly, it can be tough to get your hands on the in-demand mystery books. For instance,  the psychological thriller The Chain by Adrian McKinty, with its strong buzz, has a long request list for Library customers. While that particular title may be a late summer—or fall---option, best-selling writer Kate Atkinson’s new title Big Sky, a continuation of the Jackson Brodie (detective) series is a great read while you wait!        

What other options do mystery lovers have for the remainder of the season?  We suggest revisiting some of selections released earlier this year that might have been overlooked. Here’s a list of nine novels offering a variety of stories from the grittyJ.D. Robb police procedural in Connections in Death with Lieutenant Eve Dallas to the witty English mystery The Golden Tresses of the Dead: a Flavia de Luce novel by C. Alan Bradley which spotlights a 12-year-old sleuth.

For the devoted, or even the occasional, mystery summer reader, there are always new characters to discover or series to revsit for the next case.

This blog was written by Lawrence Turner

How valuable is your library card? Library card holder Angela Glennon was surprised to find out just how much money she saves on one of her weekly trips to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

When Glennon’s children were babies and toddlers, she considered the Library to be their escape, a free place to go where they could have adventures in books, attend fun children’s programs and meet other young families.

As her three children grew into voracious readers, the library became even more essential to Glennon and her family. They all look forward to their weekly trips so they can stock up on new books. They appreciate the knowledgeable staff members who help them find books on whatever the children are obsessed with that week— it’s ranged from snakes to The Magic Tree House, from horror stories to American history and from butterflies to picture books with photo-realistic illustrations. Glennon says, “No request is too crazy for those dedicated librarians!”

With the American Library Association’s Library Value Calculator, Glennon found out she saved her family $660 in just one visit. That visit included attending adult and children’s programs, checking out more than 30 books and using a library computer, as well as asking the staff reference questions. Upon seeing her total value, she remarked, “That's a lot of money and value per visit! I'm sure the total amount varies each time and whether we attend a program that week, but, as a family that has maxed out our library card in the past, I'm sure there have been trips where we've saved even more money. Obviously, we could never afford to purchase all those books, so we're always happy to use the library!”

Even though Glennon’s focus is on her family, she’s also attended many Library-sponsored adult programs. Through them she’s met interesting, wonderful people, acknowledging she’s learned so much more in a group than she could on her own.

Just like Glennon, you can find out how much you can save with a Charlotte Mecklenburg Library card by clicking here.

Know someone who doesn’t have a Library card but should? Send them here today so they can start saving money and enjoy all the benefits: sign up for a library card.

This blog was written by Darcey Mesaris.

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month. As a librarian and lifelong learner, I can think of a million reasons to sign-up for a library card but, in my opinion, the most important reason everyone should have a library card is this: access.

I still remember the awe I felt walking into my hometown library as a young kid to get my first library card. With that precious new card, I was able to wander the streets of Paris, learn how volcanoes erupt and get stranded on a desert island. I learned so much from materials I wasn’t able to find anywhere else. Later, as a struggling college and graduate student, I saved money on required reading and internet service, thanks to my library card. As a voracious reader, my library card also provided me opportunities to explore a multitude of resources to educate myself on whatever random topic I am currently obsessed with learning. Even before I became a librarian, one of the first things I did upon moving somewhere new was to sign-up for a library card, as I wanted to enjoy the benefit of access.

Throughout my career in libraries, I witnessed firsthand the power access to information and resources provides to the community. For instance, one of my regular customers found himself unhappy in his career and wanted a change. He came in daily after work to use the computers to job search and update his resume. He would also check out books in areas of professional development, such as leadership and self-confidence. We guided him to our online databases where he could take classes on time management and other business skills. After four months, he returned one evening to proudly announce he had secured a new job. Even after achieving his goal, he remained a frequent library user as he still needed access to business resources (like Reference USA that are free through the library) to help him continue to succeed.

Another customer who used her library card to access the public computers since she did not have one at home, came to the reference desk, in tears, asking how to sign out of the computer.  After offering her help, she explained she was trying to create the program for her wedding service on one of our computers and feared she’d lost all her work. She wanted to leave before she felt any worse.  

I told her I was not going to let her leave in tears and helped her make her program. She spent nearly three hours on that program and when she left, with a hardcopy of the program in her hands, she beamed with joy.

Throughout my years as a librarian, I’ve helped so many people feel the same joy I did when I first signed up for my library card. My customers have traveled the world, expanded their knowledge and entertained themselves, all with one little card.  So many people educated themselves at the Library -  all because of the access their library card gives them. This is more than just books, and goes beyond to resources, services, programs and people who truly care about the people in their communities. And all of this is FREE.  The access a library card provides is unparalleled.

Sign up here for your own Library card.

This blog was written by Darcey Mesaris

What’s one more thing to add to an already hectic schedule during your final year of college? An internship. Sure, the idea of partying and celebrating your forthcoming freedom from school seems enticing, but snagging an internship (when a student works for an organization -- paid or unpaid, providing an opportunity to gain valuable experience, learn new and useful skills and make priceless connections) is beneficial in the long run. An internship can last anywhere from three to six months, so it doesn’t take up your entire final year of college. Think about all the things that you’ve learned as a student and the advantage an internship will provide when you finally enter the workforce.

Here are some great reasons to consider an internship:

• Gaining valuable experience - This is your chance to “try out” the job or career of your choice. You also gain skills that you can only learn on the job and you’ll have the opportunity to demonstrate them. The individuals you work with during your internship can vouch for your skills and experience as professional references in the future.
• Spruce up your resume - This is important. College is a great way to start the journey to your dream career by participating in clubs and organizations, but viable experience as an intern could catch the eye of a potential employer, giving you an edge over others in the job market.
• Developing skills – Despite feeling like you’ve learned everything, your skillset is limited when you first finish school. An internship will help develop and enhance both soft and hard skills. Today’s employers are just as interested in your soft or transferable skills as they are in job-specific skills. 
• Building relevant relationships - Networking is a vital skill to have in the job market. The relationships that you build while interning are critical to your future success.
• Meet your mentor – You’ll need direction and one of the best ways to get that is to acquire a mentor. Many people meet their mentors during their internship. Mentors are experienced and trusted advisers -- they are among the key relationships you’ll form because they work with you to ensure your growth and success. Mentorship is not a one-way relationship -- it requires give, take and nurturing to be effective.
   

Interested in interning? Learning more about finding an internship is as easy as visiting your college career center. The staff can help you succeed by connecting you to resources. Your school also may have a partnership with large corporations and medium-sized businesses to offer internships to students just like you.

It’s important that students seeking to move into the workforce after school take advantage of internships because they create opportunities for individuals long after completion. Finding a job fresh out of school can be tough, so the more experience you can add to the work experience section of your resume, the better.

But, don’t be mistaken. Internships are not all fun and games. They are meant to test your ability to work a job and give you hands-on, industry-specific experience. An internship is a real-time, and real-life, simulation of what you’ve learned in class.

Now, take the first step into your future and sign up for an internship!

This blog was written by De'Trice Fox

Did you know? Of the top 100 grossing films of 2018, women represented only:

• 4% of directors
• 15% of writers
• 3% of cinematographers
• 18% of producers
• 18% of executive producers
• 14% of editors

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library recently formed a partnership with Girls Rock Charlotte (GRC), a non-profit organization that has been working to change the statistics of women's roles in film. GRC’s mission is to amplify the confidence of girls and gender diverse youth through the power of music and film. Last year was their first summer to host a film camp, giving youth ages 11-18 the opportunity to learn a new career and become the voice of the next generation in filmmaking. This year, the camp was hosted by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The partnership began at Independence Regional Library branch with a series of Screen Writing 101 workshops.  The scripts for the films were chosen by camp leadership such as GRC Executive Director, Kelly Finley,  and a Women’s and Gender Studies professor at UNCC. Finley met with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Chief Innovation Officer, Seth Ervin, to discuss the camps innovative approach to creating job opportunities for young people and making a positive change in the film industry. Ervin has also brought other film making opportunities to the library for teens and adults, including a partnership with the Unconventional Film School.

Finley’s vision for the camp is to create a curriculum that can be shared to other Girls Rock organizations across the country. Finley said about the library partnership, “It was inspiring to see our young filmmakers not only discover the art and skills of filmmaking but also to discover how the library has the resources and staff to help them pursue their projects and aspirations."

During the week of July 28 – August 3, girls and female filmmaker volunteers gathered in meeting spaces at Main Library and ImaginOn to learn the roles of director, camera, editor, art director, lighting, sound and more. Staffing the camp with all women filmmakers was especially difficult. Jolly Dale, a producer for "The Walking Dead" and the GRC Film Camp Director said, “Finding female film professionals is difficult in general because there just aren’t that many of them. Finding female film professionals to also give up their time and employment for a day or more to volunteer with GRC Film Camp is even more challenging - because those few are in high demand in the industry. With Film Camp, we’re trying to grow the percentage of women working in media, and in the process, effect change in how women and women’s issues are represented on screen.”

In addition to the filmmakers who helped lead the camp, campers had the opportunity during lunch each day to meet local women in media such as news anchors Michelle Boudin, Ruby Durhan and Lisha Scott from WCBC, and Christine Moore, a director who has worked on projects such as The Wire, CSI, and Treme.

In just the span of one short week, thirty-two campers filmed, edited and premiered four three-minute short films. The screening took place at Spirit Square just six short days after the camp began. To learn more about Girls Rock Charlotte, please visit their website, or to learn more about filmmaking programs happening at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, please visit our online calendar. Below are the completed films:

 

Ria

"RIA" was written by Alice Loder, who attended the library Screen Writing 101 Workshop at the library last May. A sophisticated script about a young woman who has chosen to go “off the grid” by getting rid of all her worldly possessions. This script utilized spaces through out Main Library, including The Mecklenburg Room inside the Carolina Room.

Shush

Written by Jillian Ruvalcaba, "Shush," was filmed entirely in The Loft at ImaginOn. The script highlighted themes of bullying and being open to new people. 

The Burning Haunt

"The Burning Haunt," written by Holly Walker, was the most difficult film to shoot in terms of location as it utilized locations at Main Library, The Loft and the Children’s Theater in ImaginOn. The main character in this script encounters a ghost who died in a fire after being locked in a bathroom at school.



The Perfect Girl

The final film titled "The Perfect Girl," written by Jada Bennett, was filmed entirely at Main Library. This crew was made up entirely of campers who attended last year’s film camp. The campers on this crew all aspire to attend film school and have a career in film. The script is about a young girl who struggles with body dysmorphia.  

Resources:

https://womenandhollywood.com/

https://www.girlsrockclt.org/

https://vimeo.com/channels/1291690

This blog was written by Lonna Vines. Vines is a Children’s Librarian at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and a member of leadership for Girls Rock Charlotte. She performed as the Assistant Camp Director, Cast Coordinator and Library Liason during the week of camp. 

Welcome (back) to North County Regional Library!

We missed you, too!

North County Regional Library will re-open on Monday, October 7, 2019 at 9 a.m.

The branch, which was closed in July 2018 for renovations, is an essential connector in the community. The Library will offer services, programs, Wi-Fi and computer use, along with a wide selection of books and audio visual materials including DVDs, CDs and audiobooks. Thank you for your patience during our renovation.

What's new at North County Regional Library? 

North County Regional Library (located at 16550 Holly Crest Lane, Huntersville, 28078) increased by 1,860 square feet to nearly 24,860 square feet and now includes redesigned spaces for children and teens, including a new Teen Loft, a makerspace room, an expanded community room, individual and group study rooms and collaborative spaces, a vending café, and a patio and terrace. Features include free Wi-Fi, audio-visual capabilities and a public computer lab. A new exterior book/materials drop is part of the new traffic flow in the parking lot. The North County Regional Library is also updated with an efficient checkout system using radio frequency identification (RFID) and an automated materials handling (AMH) unit.

We also welcome a new branch leader for North County Regional Library – Amanda Corbett. She is excited to meet all of you and welcome you (back) to our beautiful new facility.

Library Hours

Starting October 7, North County Regional Library will resume normal operating hours. The Library will be open Mondays through Thursdays 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; and Sundays 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Hours may vary in summer. 

Library Holds and Pick-ups

As of October 7, North County Regional will once again receive and distribute reserved items. When you’re in Bibliocommons reserving an item, you can choose a location from the drop-down list. Note: North County Regional will not be added back in until October 7, so if you try to add this location before that date, the location will not appear. 

Returning books and materials to North County book/materials-drop

One of North County Regional's newest features is an exterior drive-through book/materials drop with a new traffic flow in the parking lot to accommodate this improvement. (Book/materials drop open October 7.) Please watch for and follow the directional signs.

There were also major upgrades to the HVAC system to ensure efficient operations and user comfort. Public funding for the North County Regional project was approved in 2014 by Mecklenburg County and cost approximately $6.78 million. The project was managed by Mecklenburg County’s Asset and Facility Management Team, the architect was McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture and Optima Engineering, and the builder/contractor was Encompass Building Group. The North County Regional renovation is the second of several projects for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system; Morrison Regional Library was renovated and re-opened in 2017, and South County Regional Library is scheduled to close later this year for renovations.

When’s the celebration?

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library will host a Fall Fest and Grand Re-Opening at North County Regional Library with a ribbon cutting ceremony and lots of activities inside and outside the branch on Saturday, October 26, 2019, beginning at 10 a.m.

Click here for details!  

See you at North County Regional soon!

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has been involved with the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative since its beginning in the summer of 2018. The Library’s Innovation department set out to see if a public library could leverage its staff, resources, and digital presence to make a difference in the local news ecosystem.  It turns out that yes, it can.

The Charlotte Journalism Collaborative (CJC) is made up of several key journalistic partners and institutions including: The Charlotte Observer, La Noticia, Queen City Metro, Qnotes, WCNC, WFAE, The Knight School of Communication at Queens University, Free Press, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. This CJC is committed to delivering ‘solutions journalism’ to the local community around the affordable housing issues within our county. 

Solutions journalism is a discipline in journalism that seeks to cover a more comprehensive view of reality, not just covering the problems in the community, but taking it a step forward to showcase the solution, implementation, results and gained insights as communities rally to solve key issues in the community.  The data around this practice is impressive as seen in the reporting from the Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin– readers of solutions journalism pieces usually find the quality of the article to be better, show greater engagement and increase interest in the topic, as well as boosting their positivity. It should also be noted that the CJC is an official part of the Solutions Journalism Network whose mission “is to spread the practice of solutions journalism and rebalance the news so that every day people are exposed to stories that help them understand problems and challenges and show potential ways to respond.”

So what have we been working on? Through the Digital Branch platform, the Library is hosting the Collaborative’s website at www.charlottejournalism.org. There you will find a showcase of solutions journalism pieces around affordable housing, highlighting the solutions our community is working on to remedy this systemic problem. More stories will be posted and be sure to follow the library’s social media for more updates.

The CJC is also planning to host a community conversation about affordable housing on October 13, 2019 at ImaginOn: The Joe and Joan Martin Center to highlight local people who are making a difference in the affordable housing conversation, along with groundbreaking solutions.  If you know someone who is making a difference in this area, please consider nominating them as an Affordable Housing Hero during the month of September.  Nominated members of the community will be recognized and celebrated at the October 13 event.

Charlotte, North Carolina, was first settled after colonists made their way down the Great Wagon Road. Northern colonies in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia had become crowded, so settlers went south to seek religious and economic freedom, as well as to take advantage of quality farmland. Native Americans used this trail for hunting, trading, and war long before the settlers used it to migrate south. The Native Americans named the trail “Warriors Path.” 

Conestoga Wagon, courtesy of Wikimedia. 

Before Charlotte was chartered in 1768 by the colonial North Carolina General Assembly, settlers called the area “Charlottetowne” after Queen Charlotte Sophia of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The settlers sought to honor Queen Charlotte’s husband, King George III, as well as to sway Assemblymen into making Charlotte the site of the county courthouse as a political bid. Courthouses enabled cities to grow economically by serving as a hub for visitors and business during quarterly sessions. The Assemblymen chartered the city of Charlotte in 1768 and entitled the city to a courthouse and a prison.  

The charter reads: 

“Be it therefore Enacted, by the Governor, Council, and Assembly, and by the Authority of the same, That the said Three Hundred and Sixty Acres of Land, so laid off by the Commissioners or Trustees as aforesaid, be, and the same is hereby constituted, erected, and established, a Town and Town Common, and shall be called by the name of Charlotte.” 

-- Acts of the North Carolina General Assembly, 1768; North Carolina. General Assembly; November 07, 1768 - December 05, 1768; Volume 23, Pages 759-783; CHAPTER XI. 

1766- The First Mecklenburg County Courthouse (modern interpretation). Courtesy of the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room. 

Mecklenburg County, the county in which the city of Charlotte exists, was also named in honor of Queen Charlotte. Charlotte’s birthplace was Mecklenburg-Strelitz, which is a province in present-day northern Germany. Queen Charlotte never actually visited our city, but one of her handwritten letters is housed at the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room in the Main Library: 

Queen Charlotte Letter, 1812. Courtesy of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room. 

 

Who was Queen Charlotte anyway?   

George III (1738-1820), Queen Charlotte (1744-1818) and their Six Eldest Children. Courtesy of Zoffany Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2014. 

Queen Charlotte Sophia was born in Mecklenburg-Strelitz (in the Holy Roman Empire) in 1744, to Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg and Princess Elisabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen. As a child, she was educated by a priest in botany, natural history and language, but focused her studies in housekeeping and religion. As demonstrated by the letter above, Charlotte learned how to read and write. These were rare skills for women during that time—her royal status permitted her to have access to education through multiple tutors.  

Unfinished portrait depicting the marriage of George III to Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz on 8 September 1761, Sir Joshua Reynolds. Courtesy of Royal Collection Trust. 

At 17 years old in 1761, Charlotte was engaged to King George III. She was an attractive option to wed because she was born in an “insignificant” part of Europe and would likely have no interest in politics; she was instructed by George III after their wedding “not to meddle” in politics, which she obeyed. However, she did have indirect political influence—she used her closeness to George III to keep herself informed and to recommend office appointments, as well as keep German interests in mind. She did not speak English at first but learned quickly. One observer commented, "She is timid at first but talks a lot, when she is among people she knows."  

View of Buckingham House from WH Pyne, The History of the Royal Residences, 1819 (Courtesy of the British Library).

Although St. James Palace was the official Royal residence, Queen Charlotte fell in love with Buckingham House, which she and George III moved into shortly after purchasing. She gave birth to 14 of her 15 children in the house that eventually became known as “The Queen’s House.” This property is now popularly known as Buckingham Palace. 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Opus 3 Dedication Page. Courtesy of Bibliorare. 

Queen Charlotte had a passion for music, so she brought a harpsichord with her from Germany and took lessons from Johann Christian Bach, son of Johann Sebastian Bach. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart once played the organ as Queen Charlotte sang on a family trip to England when he was 8 years old. Mozart later dedicated his Opus 3 to his beloved queen. On the dedication page he wrote, “Filled with pride and joy at daring to offer you a tribute, I was finishing up these sonatas to be laid at the feet of your Majesty [Queen Charlotte]; I was, I confess, drunk with vanity and thrilled with myself, when I spied the Genius of Music at my side.”  

Queen Charlotte (1744-1818) by Sir Allan Ramsay, ca. 1761-1769. Courtesy of Royal Collection Trust, https://www.rct.uk/collection/402413/queen-charlotte-1744-1818 

According to some genealogists, Queen Charlotte is informally considered the second biracial Queen of England. She was purportedly a direct descendent of Margarita de Castro e Sousa, a member of the African branch of the Portuguese Royal House. Early portraits of the Queen show that Charlotte had hints of African physical attributes. Sir Allan Ramsay painted many portraits of Queen Charlotte, seen above. Writings from the period also alluded to her “mulatto” appearance, meaning “one with mixed black and white ancestry.”  

As anti-slavery movements in England became more prevalent, royal portrait painters were instructed to soften “undesirable” features in their subjects’ faces. This included making Queen Charlotte’s skin tone appear lighter and manipulating other physical features. In fact, Ramsay’s Coronation portrait of Charlotte was distributed in England and the colonies to subtly stoke anti-slavery sentiment due to the prevalence of Charlotte’s African features.  

A photo of Kew Gardens, the royal botanical garden Queen Charlotte helped maintain. Photo by Kew Gardens. 

Queen Charlotte had a keen interest in botany and played a large role in expanding and preserving Kew Gardens, the Royal botanical gardens in Kew, England. She was known by the British public as the “Queen of Botany,” and botanists named the Bird of Paradise, a flower native to South Africa, the Strelitzia reginae in her honor. Charlotte turned to botany when she struggled with her mental health, which is when she planned the gardens of the Frogmore House in Windsor.  

Queen Charlotte was also a philanthropist, founding several orphanages in England. She founded and was named the Patron of the General Lying-in Hospital in London, which was later named The Queen’s Hospital and is now known as The Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital. Queen Charlotte was also known to offer aid to poor families, as well as helped struggling musicians. 

--

Sources:  

Blakemore, Erin. “Meghan Markle Might Not Be the First Mixed-Race British Royal.” History. https://www.history.com/news/biracial-royalty-meghan-markle-queen-charlotte. Accessed August 2019. 

Cooper, Jean L. and Angelika S. Powell. “Queen Charlotte’s Letters.” http://people.virginia.edu/~jlc5f/charlotte/letter_intro.html. Accessed August 2019.  

“England’s 18th Century Black Queen, Sophie Charlotte born.” AAREG. https://aaregistry.org/story/englands-first-black-queen-sophie-charlotte-born/. Accessed August 2019. 

Fraser, Flora. “Princesses: The Six Daughters of George III.” New York: Knopf, 2005. (CML Call No. 941.073 Fraser) 

Hanchett, Tom. “The History of Charlotte.” Charlotte. https://www.charlottesgotalot.com/articles/history/the-history-of-charlotte. Accessed August 2019. 

Hedley, Olwen. “Queen Charlotte.” London: J. Murray, 1875. (NCR B C479c H455) 

“History Timeline, Rural Beginnings 1730-1772, 1776- The First Mecklenburg County Courthouse.” Charlotte Mecklenburg Story. https://www.cmstory.org/exhibits/history-timeline-rural-beginnings-1730-1772/1766-first-mecklenburg-county-courthouse. Accessed August 2019. 

“History Timeline, Rural Beginnings 1730-1772, 1768- Charlotte Chartered.” Charlotte Mecklenburg Story. https://www.cmstory.org/exhibits/history-timeline-rural-beginnings-1730-1772/1768-charlotte-chartered. Accessed August 2019.  

Jackson, Marshall R., III. “Great Wagon Road.” NCPedia.  https://www.ncpedia.org/great-wagon-road. Accessed August 2019.  

“Queen Charlotte (19 May 1744- 17 November 1818.” The Royal Family. https://www.royal.uk/. Accessed August 2019. 

Valdes y Cocom, Mario de. “The Blurred Racial Lines of Famous Families: Queen Charlotte.” South Carolina etv. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/secret/famous/royalfamily.html.  

Walk-Morris, Tatiana. “Five Things to Know About Queen Charlotte.” Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smartnews-arts-culture/5-things-you-didnt-know-about-queen-charlotte-180967373/. Accessed August 2019.