This blog was written by staff of the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room 

Did you know that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited the Queen City in 1954, 1960, 1963 and 1966?  



Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia to Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King. His father was a Baptist pastor and his mother was a former schoolteacher. Dr. King was highly intelligent and attended Morehouse College at age 15 to study medicine and law. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Divinity degree from Crozer Theological Seminary, followed by a doctorate in Systematic Theology from Boston University. He met Coretta Scott, a singer studying at the New England Conservatory of Music, who he married and raised a family beside in Montgomery, Alabama  

Dr. Martin Luther King (1929 - 1968) addresses crowds during the March On Washington at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC, where he gave his 'I Have A Dream' speech. Courtesy of Agence France Presse/Getty Images. 

Dr. King dedicated his life to ending racial segregation in a nonviolent manner. He had many accomplishments in his career, but he first became widely known for his efforts in the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. In 1957, he founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and in 1963, he led the March on Washington where he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.  

In May 1963, Dr. King visited Charlotte to speak to six black high schools during convocation. Ten days prior to his visit, Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) students marched downtown to protest segregation.  Martin Luther King Jr. returned to Charlotte in September 1966 to speak to more than 3,000 people at JCSU about moral action and his opposition to the war in Vietnam. 

His dynamic leadership did not go unnoticed, as he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He played a leading role in the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, as well as the Voting Rights Act in 1965 . 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. statue in Marshall Park 



On April 4, 1968, Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis, TN while supporting a sanitation workers’ strike. The evening before, he spoke at the Mason Temple Church: 



“I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” 

In April 1980, the City of Charlotte dedicated a monument in Dr. King’s honor in Marshall Park. The statue was sculpted by Selma Burke, an African-American artist from Mooresville, NC whose bust of Franklin D. Roosevelt appears on the dime. Martin Luther King Jr. made a lasting impact on our nation and his sacrifices will never be forgotten. 

Main blog photo is of Martin Luther King, Jr. surrounded by media in 1962. Photo courtesy of Getty Images/Ernst Haas.

Want to learn more? Checkout our MLK Booklist and listing of Library programming in celebration of MLK Day.

View Programs Here

View MLK Booklist

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Citations: 

“Martin Luther King, Jr..” History. Accessed December 2019.  https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/martin-luther-king-jr 

“Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed December 2019.   https://www.britannica.com/topic/Martin-Luther-King-Jr-Day 

“1963- Martin Luther King Speaks to Charlotte’s Black high School Students.” CMStory. Accessed December 2019. https://www.cmstory.org/exhibits/african-american-album-volume-2/1963-martin-luther-king-speaks-charlottes-black-high-school

“1980- King Statue Placed in Marshall Park.” CMStory. Accessed December 2019.   https://www.cmstory.org/exhibits/african-american-album-volume-2/1980-king-statue-placed-marshall-park 

“1983- Martin Luther King’s Birthday Becomes a Federal Holiday.” CMStory. Accessed December 2019.  https://www.cmstory.org/exhibits/african-american-album-volume-2/1983-martin-luther-kings-birthday-becomes-federal-holiday 

"The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King in Charlotte.” CMStory. Acccessed December 2019. https://www.cmstory.org/content/legacy-dr-martin-luther-king-charlotte 

What better place to fall in love than the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library? We don’t mean romantic love alone. All love is welcome here. Familial, platonic, volunteer, literary—you name it.

As an essential community connector, libraries are places where people fall in love with, and among, books – and we want to hear your story. Have you made a new a friend at a Library program or while serving as  a Library volunteer? Maybe a Library employee suggested to you a self-help book that changed the trajectory of your life and your love self. Or, maybe your dog helps shy readers conquer their fears of reading aloud each week through a Paws to Read program at your local library branch and inspiring literacy in children brings you joy.

That’s a whole lot of love to share.

This is your chance to let the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library know how we've helped you fall in love with financial literacy, locate your dream career or introduced you to a life-changing hobby. And, if really did brush hands with the love of your life while looking for a good read at the Library, we want to know about that too.

Share your Library Love Story by Friday, February 7, 2020.*

*Collected stories will be lightly edited (punctuation, spelling, etc.) and used on the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library blog, social media platforms and in other areas where marketing the stories is deemed appropriate. Participation in this survey is voluntary and only first names will be used in public posts.

Thank you for sharing the love.

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has received many questions about the most popular books of 2019. We pulled circulation data for our adult fiction (both print and digital), adult nonfiction, teen fiction and children’s books to bring you the titles that were most popular with Library readers in 2019.

A few things stand out when you look at the lists:

• Fiction rules. Once again, the most circulated book owned by the Library was a novel. This year it’s Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. 
• And it wasn’t even close! Where the Crawdads Sing almost doubled the number of check outs of second place, Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty.
• This was the year of the memoir. Generally, the most popular nonfiction books circulate fewer times than any of the top ten novels. This year, both Michelle Obama’s Becoming and Educated by Tara Westover were more popular than all but the top two novels.
• Charlotte author, Tommy Tomlinson’s memoir, The Elephant in the Room made the top three on our nonfiction list. Coming in third to those two incredibly popular books is almost like coming in first. We are thrilled to see a local writer on our year end list!

Print Fiction
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Nine perfect strangers by Liane Moriarty
Long road to Mercy by David Baldacci
The Reckoning by John Grisham
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Past Tense: a Jack Reacher novel by Lee Child.
Redemption by David Baldacci
Summer of 69 by Erin Hilderbrand
Run away by Harlan Coben
Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

Digital Adult Fiction on Overdrive
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
The Reckoning by John Grisham
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
One Day in December by Josie Silver

Adult Nonfiction
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Educated: a Memoir by Tara Westover
The Elephant in the Room by Tommy Tomlinson
Girl, Wash your Face by Rachel Hollis
The Library Book by Susan Orlean
Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay and a Mothers will to Survive by Stephanie Land
Maybe you should talk to someone by Lori Gottlieb
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying up by Marie Kondo
The Pioneers by David McCullough
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo

Children’s Books
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Meltdown by Jeff Kinney
I Broke my Trunk by Mo Willems
Happy Pig Day by Mo Willems
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway by Jeff Kinney
Diary of a wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel by Jeff Kinney
I Really like Slop by Mo Willems
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley’s Journal by Jeff Kinney
Llama Llama Time to Share by Anna Dewdney
Are you Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems
Pete the Kitty and the Groovy Playdate by Kim Dean

Young Adult Fiction
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
The Sun is also a Star by Nicola Yoon
On the Come up by Angie Thomas
To all the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
Turtles all the way Down by John Green
Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak
Five Feet Apart by Rachel Lippincott
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Cornelius Library celebrates its 20-year anniversary in February 2020. The Library, located at 21105 Catawba Avenue in Cornelius, North Carolina, opened its doors to the public in February 2000; the result of a joint effort between Cornelius citizens, town leaders, Commissioners of Mecklenburg County and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Board of Trustees.

The Library will celebrate its presence in the community with special programs from February 9-15, 2020. Customers and community members are invited to enjoy refreshments, a variety of activities, and the following scheduled events at the branch that week:

Scottish Geneaology
Monday, February 10, 2020 from 1-3 p.m.

Looking for Scottish records on Ancestry.com? Guess what? They are not there because Scotland has its own websites. Shelia Bumgarner of the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room will present a program created by Dr. Bruce Durie, tutor at the University of Edinburgh, sharing his expertise in Scottish Genealogy. Register here.

Our Charlotte Region
Thursday, February 13, 2020 from 6-7 p.m.

Enjoy an overview of the historic forces that tie together Charlotte and its surrounding communities. Discover stories of Indian trading paths and Colonial settlements, gold mines and cotton mills, banking and today’s booming expansion. Presented by the Library’s Historian-in-Residence, Dr. Tom Hanchett. Register here.

Pete the Cat Storytime
Saturday, February 15, 2020 from 10-11 a.m.

Come celebrate Cornelius Branch's birthday with a special Pete the Cat themed storytime. Special guest, Pete the Cat, will be here from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. to meet families and take pictures. Attendance is limited to the first 20 children to arrive with a caregiver the day of the event.

We look forward to celebrating with you.

Just as babies grow quickly, so have the Baby Storytime options at ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center – a place where kids can freely play, learn and explore.

To meet the growing demands of the popular Baby Storytime program, the Spangler Library has added an additional class to its schedule for 2020. Parents and caregivers can now enjoy engaging with their little ones, discovering new sights and sounds through books, songs and rhymes every Monday from 9:30-10 a.m.

Storytime is offered regularly at most Charlotte Mecklenburg Library branches. During storytime, children’s librarians share stories and songs with children to encourage development of the language and pre-reading skills that help kids grow into successful readers.

Click here to see the complete schedule of Baby Storytime at ImaginOn.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Please contact Spangler Library staff with any questions at 704-416-4630.

Would you like to identify a nearby neighborhood street as the scene of a crime? Or learn that your former classmate is now the suspect in multiple murders? Those are the kind of connections one makes when reading Charlotte True Crime Stories: Notorious Cases from Fraud to Serial Killing. The newest book, written by author Cathy Pickens, is the result of crime research of actual events in and around Mecklenburg County.

“I don’t do investigative reporting,” Pickens said. “I’m not knocking on people’s doors. I’m not solving cold cases,” she added. 

Her intention, she said, is to provide a series of “short stories” about memorable cases the public knows, typically through a string of newspaper articles. “I want to condense it and tell it in a digestible way,” Pickens said.

Drawing a figurative circle around Charlotte, Pickens covers cases in her book from neighboring Charlotte cities such as Belmont, Concord, and Shelby to name a few. These cases cover a 100-year span, with chapter four alone touching on gang bootlegging, prostitution, drug trafficking and even motorcycle gangs. 

One of Pickens favorite stories from the book, which brings a smile when she speaks about it, is the trial of a wife accused of murdering her husband in 1926. As she writes in her book, 19-year-old Nellie Freeman was married to Alton Freeman, a thief and unfaithful husband. One fateful day, she asked him if he loved her while hugging him and he replied, “No.” Unfortunately for him, she had a knife in convenient range and used it on him. A murder trial ensued with the prosecutor determined to get a conviction and buck tradition. Historically, Charlotte juries didn’t convict women of murder. This case did not change that streak as Nellie Freeman was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Even so, she was nicknamed “Razor Girl” by the press during the trial.       

Pickens’s venture into true crime followed her interest in writing about it. The previously discussed Nellie Freeman case features a person who committed a crime but afterwards led a quiet, seemingly normal life. Pickens said that many involved in the cases she covered led normal lives. 

Another appeal of the true crime genre for Pickens is its strong draw to women readers. “I think some of it is a sense of self-protection,” she said. “If I can figure this out, then I won’t be a victim. I think a lot of it is what attracts me and others—is that we like to solve puzzles,” she added.     

True crime stories also look at changes in communities and cities. Pickens wrote in an email, “I wanted the stories to capture Charlotte and what’s formed it and what makes it unique and interesting, seen through this unusual lens of crime.” In her book’s last chapter, Pickens notes that the 1990s population boom, troubling rise of crack cocaine and frighteningly high murder rates dramatically changed the character of Charlotte to reflect big-city problems.   

The opportunity for Pickens to publish Charlotte True Crime Stories: Notorious Cases from Fraud to Serial Killing happened quickly after an unsuccessful first attempt at publishing a  true crime book. When she offered to write a true crime history book about Charlotte to a book company she successfully worked with 10 years earlier, the company gave a contract in a week. The focus on Charlotte, its crimes and history were the hook. “That just doesn’t happen," Pickens said. "I was off and running,” she added. 

Pickens is quick to praise the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library as a tremendous help. “The resources there are phenomenal, and the staff has been incredibly helpful in bringing out stories that I wouldn’t know about otherwise,” she said. “A lot of the artwork (primarily photography used for the book), and copyright permission, came courtesy of the Library and that would be lost if I didn’t have access to those public resources,” she added. The book is also a culmination of many years collecting crime articles, discussing crime as a mystery convention panelist and writing a true-crime column for Mystery Readers Journal. 

Some Library customers may recognize Pickens’s name. In the early 2000s, she began a mystery fiction series featuring an attorney and sleuth set in a small South Carolina town. The Avery Andrews novels mirrored her background as a lawyer and, later, a business professor. Pickens has also worked in higher education. The Library owns three books from the series. 

Will Pickens return to fiction writing? It’s very likely. as she said she has a completed a new novel and has another in development.  Next up though, this year she has True Crime Stories of Eastern North Carolina scheduled for a spring release from History Press and she wants to write about true crime in her home state of South Carolina.

Celebrate at the South Boulevard Library Grand Opening on Saturday, February 15, 2020 with ribbon cutting at 10 a.m.! South Boulevard Library is located at 4429 South Boulevard, Charlotte, 28209.

Now that South Boulevard Library is open, we’re ready to celebrate!Join us on Saturday, February 15, 2020 for a Grand Opening from 10 a.m.–2 p.m.* Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Board of Trustees Chairman Rob Harrington and County Commissioner Susan Harden are featured speakers.

Enjoy activities from local community partners, face painting and more through 2 p.m. Some festivities include:

• Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 10 a.m. 
• A Hogwarts castle display
• Photo area
• Video games
• Paws to Read
• Frontline Puppeteers
• Bilingual storytelling, songs, etc.
• Art Plus (music and self-guided crafting)
• Scavenger hunt
• Food truck - International Truck of Tacos
• Auntie Anne’s
• And more!
  
   

What to see?

South Boulevard Library increased by 13,350 square feet to 18,850 square feet. That is a gain in square feet of nearly 300%. You can tour all the redesigned spaces for children and teens, an expanded community room, group study rooms and collaborative spaces, free Wi-Fi and a vending café. New features include audio-visual capabilities and a public computer lab.

Library hours

South Boulevard Library is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The branch is closed on Sundays.

See you at South Boulevard Library soon!



*The branch will be open on Saturday, February 15, 2020 for regular operating hours from 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Celebrate the literature, arts and culture of African Americans during University City Regional Library's inaugural Black History Month Literary Festival on Saturday, February 8, 2020 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Meet local authors, participate in self-directed art activities and attend scheduled programs throughout the day. Additional activities include a Cultural Rhythms Workshop with Kerra Don starting at 11 a.m., a chance to meet illustrator Gordon C. James at 12 p.m., and a live show from The Black Guy Who Tips Podcast at 2 p.m. 

Local authors participating with the Black History Month Literary Festival will have the opportunity to display their books and engage with the community. Partnering with local authors helps Charlotte Mecklenburg Library develop relationships and encourage future collaborations for programming and projects that strengthen community ties.  

Cultural Rhythms Workshop with Kerra Don - 11 a.m.

Explore African and ballet dance techniques with local dancer and performing artist Shakerra Lauther, better known by her stage name, Kerra Don.

Participants will have the opportunity to practice techniques with Kerra during this movement workshop. 

Audience: Preschool, School age, Teens

Meet the Illustrator: Gordon C. James - 12 p.m.

Join us for an afternoon presentation with award-winning children's book illustrator Gordon C. James. A featured 2019 EpicFest illustrator, James will discuss his life as an illustrator and read from the books Let Er Buck! and Crown, and answer questions from the audience.

Audience: School age, Teens, Adults. 

The Black Guy Who Tips Podcast – 2 p.m.

Rod and Karen will discuss the creation of the Black Guy Who Tips Podcast and provide tips to producing a successful podcast. Other topics will include black literature, black history in Charlotte, library resources, trivia and more.

 Audience: Adults 

The stock market can be intimidating. Getting help with financial planning and investments can be costly. Who do you trust, how much do you invest, when is the right time, how much do you need to start? Even DIY investing can be costly because of the fees associated with research sites. But, you can get started today with FREE resources available at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. All you need is your library card.

Access online investment resources for FREE

With your library card, you have access to several online resources to help you get started with smart investing.

Marketscope Advisor (CFRA) provides independent, differentiated and actionable analysis to help you make better investment and business decisions. Includes S&P Global’s Equity and Fund Research business, a leading provider of independent research and commentary with offerings focused on stocks, ETFs and mutual funds as well as sectors and industries.

Mergent Online is an electronic database that is easy to use and has global business and financial data for companies worldwide.

Morningstar Investment Research Center offers real-time investment research; access to financial information about publicly traded companies, company contact information, company profiles and analyst reports; and industry peer comparisons.

Value Line Investment Survey offers advice on which stocks to buy, hold and sell. Access investment advice on stocks, industries, mutual funds, options and convertibles.

Check out some useful reading materials

In addition to the online resources and programs, the Library offers FREE investment e-magazines, magazines, periodicals and books. Access The Economist, Forbes and Entrepreneur in magazine or e-magazine formats. Check out books like The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need by Andrew Tobias and The Handy Investing Answer Book by Paul Tucci for expert tips and tricks to make the best of your personal finances. Find these and more investment titles in our catalog.

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is excited to honor the historical and cultural contributions of African Americans to American History during the month of February and beyond.

Black History Month was officially granted national recognition in 1976 by President Gerald Ford as an evolution of Negro History Week, founded in 1926 by American historian and educator Carter Godwin Woodson and celebrated annually during the second week of February. The purpose of Negro History Week was to bring attention to and give everlasting life to the significant contributions of African Americans who have been seemingly underrepresented or omitted from conversations that influenced American history. Carter said, “If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.”

Today, Black History Month lives on as a vibrant commemoration of the excellence and achievement of African Americans past and present.

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library invites you to join in Black History Month celebrations in the following ways:

1. Attend a Black History Month event
Enjoy many educational and fun family-friendly events at our branches throughout the month of February. Find an event near you here.

2. Join the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room group on Facebook
The Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's special collection of historical and genealogical resources, is committed to posting daily about lesser known and notable black Charlotteans throughout the month of February.  Keep up with their current features here.

3. Just keep reading
Looking for black history reads for children, teens, young adults or adults? We have you covered. At Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, there is a list for everybody, and we challenge you to read one to five African American books this month.

4. Create with books at Jam to Jazz Storytime
Head over to University City Regional Library on February 24, 2020 from 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. to listen to stories and extend learning through a variety of hands-on activities. Attendees can make their own instruments to play along with the Storytime band! Learn more.

5. Test your Black History Month knowledge (teens only)
No adults allowed! Teens are invited to the new South Boulevard Library on Thursday, February 27, 2020 from 6-7 p.m. to enjoy snacks and trivia on famous black inventors, modern icons and popular culture. Register here.

To find a complete list of the Library’s Black History Month events, click here.

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Citations:
“This is How February Became Black History Month” by Julia Zorthian, Time.com