National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo, begins each year on November 1. In addition to this 2019 NaNoWriMo information, eager and curious writers might enjoy the following prompts from the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room to reach their writing goals this month. Happy writing!

One September Morning 

On September 4, 1956, four young black students left home to participate in Charlotte’s first attempt to integrate schools. Dorothy Counts, who was 15 years old, faced a mob of angry students and adults as she made her way to Harding High School. At Central High School, 16-year-old Gus Roberts faced a similar situation. Meanwhile, his little sister, Girvaud, encountered a less stressful situation at Piedmont Junior High. Their parents told them to “carry yourself tall.” One student, Delois Huntley, quietly entered Alexander Graham Junior High School. The failure or success of this social experiment rested on the shoulders of four young children. How would they endure in a sea of angry white faces that surrounded them? 

They Call me Razor Girl 

This prompt is based on the true story of Nellie Green Freeman, a woman who was charged with the murder of her husband in May 1926.  

When police arrived at the Freeman home, they discovered the gruesome scene of the nearly decapitated body of Alton Freeman lying in the arms of his hysterical mother. Nellie confessed to the crime because he planned to leave her. "If other wives would give their husbands the same dose I gave mine, they'd have less trouble," she told stunned police officers. Her trial became a sensation and resulted in a surprise verdict. 

First in Freedom 

For centuries, the residents of Mecklenburg County have celebrated May 20 as the first American Independence Day. The state of North Carolina has the date on its flag. Write from a perspective that 28 men went to the courthouse and prepared a declaration that Captain James Jack delivered to the Continental Congress in 1775, a year before the American Declaration of Independence. Why were the facts covered up? 

Gold All Around Us 

At one time, there were more than 60 gold mines in Mecklenburg County. Write a novel describing the arrival of Cornish miners, the opening of hotels and stores and the people involved. 

Dr. Annie Lowrie Alexander 

Dr. Annie Lowrie Alexander was the first woman physician to practice medicine in North Carolina. Born in Northern Mecklenburg County, her father decided that she would study medicine to treat women patients after one of his female patients refused to let him examine her and subsequently died. The one stipulate was Annie could never marry. After private tutoring, Annie entered the Female Medical College in Philadelphia and graduated in 1888. After a bout of tuberculosis almost cut her career short, she returned to Charlotte and established a practice until her death in 1929. Her medical career and personal life would make a great story. 

Come to the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room on the third floor of Main Library to conduct research or simply for a quiet space to write! 

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These historical prompts were written by Shelia Bumgarner, librarian, of the Carolina Room. 

What is National Novel Writing Month?
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a 30-day writing challenge with participants across the world. You can register here to track your word count and compete with friends to hit 50,000 words by November 30, 2019. NaNoWriMo a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing that encourages getting words on the page and turning off your self-editor (at least until December 1, 2019). The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library encourages you to spend November immersed in the act of writing for writing's sake and to get your creative juices flowing!

Find Library NaNoWriMo events here.

How does it work?
By registering for an account on the NaNoWriMo website, you have access to an international community of other writers. When you register and choose a home region, you will connect with local participants, events and more. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is just one of many participating locations.

For young writers, under age 18 (and the people who encourage them), there are a wealth of resources to set a writing goal and get words flowing onto the page or screen. Visit the Young Writers Program for more information.

Find details on how to sign up, track your writing, set goals and connect with your fellow Charlotte-area NaNos here.

What events will you find at the Library?
The Morrison Regional, Myers Park, Mountain Island Library, North County, and Scaleybark branches will have informal "Write-ins" in November. Come enjoy a quiet space and the company of your fellow writers as you work toward 50,000 words. All writers are welcome, even those not enrolled in the official challenge. Enjoy the supportive writing space available in the Library!

Main Library, Plaza Midwood and other Library branches will have additional special events, including a NaNoWriMo Quick Tips course on November 6, 2019, writing workshops and author events. Check our calendar of events for times and locations.

Eager and curious writers can even access Charlotte-themed writing prompts from the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room here.
 

Special Events

• NaNoWriMo Quick Tips, Wednesday, November 6, 2019, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. at Main Library

Local Author Surabhi Kaushik shares tips and tricks from her experience for getting the words on the page to finish your writing project. Register here.

• Never Abandon Imagination, Saturday, November 2, 2019, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. at Mint Museum Randolph

Join us at the Mint Museum Randolph for a journey into creativity. Find ways to recover and reclaim your deepest source of inspiration. This writing workshop will guide us playfully through exercises designed to spark curiosity and imagination. Participants will view the exhibit “Never Abandon Imagination” as part of the workshop experience. Register here.

• Writers' Workshop: Exploring Story through Identity, Community and Purpose, Saturday, November 9, 2019, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Independence Regional Library

Join Louis B. Smith, a local writer, architect and conceptual thinker on a two-hour journey into story. Learn to create more complicated believable characters, clearly realized contexts for those characters and to express a sense of purpose for each. Whether you are writing about romance, adventure or personal histories this framework may help you better connect to your audience. The workshop will include free writing on each aspect. Register here.

• Creative Writing Workshop: Finding Transparency, Voice and Creativity, Thursday, November 21, 2019, 6 - 7:30 p.m. at Matthews Library

Join Glenn Proctor for this creative writing workshop. Learn how to uncover individual creativity as it applies to writing about life and truth. Register here.

• Library Resources for Writers, Monday, November 25, 2019, 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Main Library

How can the library help you with your writing project? Whether you are writing for pleasure or business, we have several resources to support you. We will cover them all briefly in this program, including an introduction to Pressbooks and Self-e. Register here.

Write-ins
Any library is a great place to work on a novel, but these locations have coordinated events. Come write with fellow writers!

• Monday nights 5 – 7:30 p.m. North County Library
• Tuesday nights, 5 - 7:30 p.m.  Myers Park Library (except Nov. 23 and 30)
• Tuesday night, November 26, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Matthews Library
• Wednesday nights, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Morrison Library and Mountain Island Library (except Nov. 27)
• Friday mornings, 10 a.m. – noon Scaleybark Library (except Nov. 29)
• Saturday mornings, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.  Mountain Island Library (except Nov. 9)
  North County Library

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This blog was written by Pamela Turner, senior library assistant, of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Mark I. West, Professor and Chair, Department of English at UNC-C and EpicFest volunteer shares his thoughts about EpicFest and the continued importance of sharing and creating stories within families:

The phrase storied family is generally used when referring to a famous family that figures in historical narratives, such as the Kennedy family or the Bush family.  However, I like to use this phrase when referring to families that are held together by a web of stories.  Such families read stories together, tell stories at the dinner table, and are always ready to enjoy a good yarn. 

Children who grow up in such families are lucky.  Research in the emerging field of family literacy indicates children are more likely to succeed in school if they grow up in families where books are available, stories are told, and reading is valued.  Barbara Bush, an early leader of the family literacy movement and the founder of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, is famous for having said, “Let your children see you read.”

When families engage in literacy activities together, everyone in the family benefits.   It not only promotes children’s reading skills, but it also facilities family communication.  Families who have stories in common have something to talk about, and they can make references to characters and phrases that they all understand.  For a family who has read the Harry Potter books together, for example, the phrase “constant vigilance” takes on a special meaning since it figures so prominently in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

I think that all families should be storied families, and one way to accomplish this goal is to gather one’s family together and go to EpicFest 2019 at ImaginOn.  Billed as “Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s free literary festival for children and their families,” EpicFest will take place on Saturday, November 9, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.   As a member of EpicFest’s steering committee, I know that the organizers of this festival have arranged for many opportunities for families to engage in literacy-related activities together.  Participants can interact with children’s authors and illustrators, and they can participate in literature-themed craft projects.  For more information about the details of this year’s festival, please click on the following link:  https://foundation.cmlibrary.org/events/epicfest

I think it is fitting that Charlotte’s premier family literacy event came into existence because of a storied family from Charlotte.  EpicFest is the Preston family’s gift to the community.  Long-time supporters of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Jim and Libby Preston had a passion for reading, which they shared with their daughter.  Libby Preston worked for many years as a librarian in the public schools, and this experience contributed to her commitment to promoting literacy in the Charlotte community.  When she died in 2014, her husband wanted to honor Libby’s passion for reading and literacy education, so he approached the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation about making a gift to help carry on his wife’s life work.  The result is EpicFest.  Jim died in 2016, and today EpicFest honors both Jim and Libby Preston. 

Jim and Libby Preston’s daughter, Mary Lane Lennon, serves on the EpicFest steering committee.  She and I often sit next to each other during the committee meetings.  We are the two non-librarians on the committee, but we both feel at home on the committee.  After all, we are all united by a deep belief in the power of family literacy.

On October 26, 2019 North Country Regional Library celebrated its Fall Fest and Grand Re-Opening. It was a successful unifying event that brought together approximately 200 community members to celebrate literacy and learning in northern Mecklenburg County. Attendees had a blast touring the new library!

North County was previously closed for renovations from July 2018 unitl October 6, 2019 when the branch re-opened its doors to excited customers.

Renovations to North County consisted of a new teen loft for ages 10-18, a calming room that offers a quiet place for nursing mothers, a makerspace, an expanded community room, conference room, study room, more accessible entrances, café, outdoor lounge area, new exterior book drop, efficient checkout system, automated materials unit and a public art display.

Fall Fest kicked-off with a 10 a.m. ribbon cutting ceremony. From 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., guests toured the new space and participated in programs in and outside of the library. The fun festivities included a chance to enjoy Wrap ‘N’ Roll food truck and sweet treats from Johnson and Wales University, jumbo darts, basketball toss, face painting, performances from the Bailey Middle School Band and a raptor center where participants learned how raptors influenced artists. Participants also got to make their own owl sculpture and play a game guessing what artwork represented that kind of raptor..

Additionally, attendees were able to participate in a scavenger hunt, storytime, create in the makerspace, take photos with Queens Charlotte, Storm Troopers and navigate children's exploration maps.

Pictures from the event and the community turnout speak volumes of how much North County impacted the north Mecklenburg County community. Staff are excited to share all the resources the library has to offer so be sure to visit the new North County and experience the changes yourself.

View photos of the event below or visit our photo gallery here. 

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This blog was written by Julia Zwetolitz, marketing & communications intern, with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

On Wednesday, November 13, 2019 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. a free screening of the silent Harold Lloyd comedy classic The Freshman (1925) will take place at the uptown Mint Museum’s atrium. Local musician Ethan Uslan, a specialist in the art of “silent film live performance”, will provide live piano accompaniment.  

Harold Lloyd’s The Freshman, one of the milestones of the Silent Film Comedy Era, will be introduced by film programmer Sam Shapiro. The film tells the story of a college freshman trying to become popular by joining the school football team. The Freshman is widely considered to be one of Lloyd’s most hilarious, well-constructed films and was his most successful silent film of the 1920s.  

Hailed by the Chicago Tribune for his “vivid musical imagination” and “deep understanding of far-flung performance practices,” Ethan Uslan is a ragtime/jazz pianist and raconteur. His vast repertoire includes original arrangements of Civil-War era songs, African-American spirituals, New Orleans Jazz, 1920s Charlestons, blues, stomps, Harlem stride piano, swing, Cuban rumbas, and jazzed-up versions of classical masterpieces.  

This event is part of the Mint Museum’s “Live at the Mint” series. This series celebrates Charlotte’s dynamic arts community.  

Location: 

Mint Museum Uptown (Atrium)  

500 S. Tryon Street 

Charlotte, NC 28202 

This event is a partnership between the Library and Mint Museum. Hopefully, the success of this program will open the door to future successful programming partnerships between these two organizations. 

For more information about Library film programs, please contact Sam Shapiro at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library at [email protected] or at 704-416-0252.  

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This blog post was written by Jospehine Justin, marketing & communications intern, with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

The opening of the renovated North County Regional Library last month marks another milestone in the history of library services in northern Mecklenburg County.

A brief history of Huntersville

Huntersville, the town that the North County Regional Library branch serves, is a historic area of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County that is named after the Hunter family. This family settled in what was originally known as “Craighead,” but, in 1873, the town was renamed “Huntersville.” The Hunter (and Ranson) families were early settlers of the region and influential in many areas. Both families were farmers who owned large tracts of land in and around Huntersville, which is where the original relationship between the two families began.

The Hunters were also merchants, owning the first home and store along the railroad. In addition to farming, the Ransons operated the Ranson Brothers Gin Company, Huntersville’s primary cotton gin. The Hunter family continued to influence the development of the Huntersville community into the 20^th Century through property deals, education, social work and commitment to local organizations.

The impact of libraries in northern Mecklenburg County
Funding for new libraries in Huntersville and four other towns came from the Julius Rosenwald Fund in 1931, when the country was in the grips of the Great Depression.

In 1956, a new brick building was constructed for the Huntersville Library. Civic leaders who had helped raise money for the library branch marked the occasion by carrying a librarian across the threshold and into her new domain. The spacious, modern library was so impressive that its builders featured a photograph of it in an advertisement.

Beginning in the 1990s, the Charlotte/Mecklenburg community saw the introduction of “regional” libraries, which were large branches that served a wide geographic area. The library moved in 1991 to add a regional library in the northern end of the county. The plan called for the new regional to replace small community libraries in Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson. Residents, loyal to their town branches, expressed opposition. The story of how this conflict was resolved is told in the Library’s family of websites.

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This blog was written by Tom Cole, librarian, with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room.

Are you considering alternatives to a four-year college degree? Join Charlotte Mecklenburg Library for the College  & Career Connections: Trade School Fair at Sugar Creek Library on November 16, 2019 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Explore programs offered at trade school organizations, educational institutions and colleges in the Charlotte area.  

Participating schools and organizations include: 

• Empire Beauty School 

• Southeastern Institute  

• Goodwill Opportunity Campus 

• Hedrick Automotive Group 

• Carolinas College of Health Sciences 

• Carolina School of Broadcasting 

• Central Piedmont Community College 

• Year Up 

• Road to Hire 

• Just for You Barber & Styling Academy & more! 

*schools and organizations are subject to change  

The College & Career Connections: Trade School Fair is a chance for community members to partner with the Library to prepare for lifelong achievement through higher education and vocational training. Participants will receive swag bags and there will be prize drawings.  

This event will relaunch the College & Career Connections program which includes free workshops and programming by in-field experts with topics ranging from financial aid to applications, admissions essays, and even services such as free ACT and SAT practice tests offered by The Princeton Review. 

In addition, the program offers a brand-new road map to help participants answer three very important questions – Who am I? What do I want to do? and How will I get there?  

Sugar Creek Library is located on 4045 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28206. For more information or questions call Sugar Creek Library at 704-416-7000.  

Register online today.

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This blog post was written by Jospehine Justin, marketing & communications intern, with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Did you know that the famous peanut butter sandwich was accidentally created by Philip Lance in Charlotte, North Carolina? In 1913, Mr. Lance, a coffee salesman, purchased 500 pounds of peanuts for one of his customers. When the shipment arrived, the customer had no use for them anymore. Lance did not want to waste the peanuts, so he roasted them at home and sold each bagful for a nickel.

 Over time, the peanut-roasting operation outgrew his home, so the flourishing business moved to College Street. This new location allowed enough space for a mechanical roaster, which eventually led to the production of peanut butter. His customers trusted his roasted peanuts but were a bit skeptical about the peanut butter at first. To demonstrate its quality, Lance spread the peanut butter onto a cracker as a free sample before each purchase. Thus, the famous peanut butter sandwich was born. 

Before machines, Lance made their own salted peanuts, crackers and peanut butter. Shells would be cleaned, graded, shelled, cleaned again, then processed. This was part of Lance’s policy to have the highest standards in quality and price.  Now machines can do what human can do – “from mixing dough, cutting, stamping , trimming and baking crackers; cleaning and roasting peanuts;  grinding and salting peanut butter; grinding cheese and reducing sugar to powder; make fill, and heat seal salted peanut bags; mix chocolate, beat creams and marshmallows ; cook, mold, cut, wrap, and heat seal candy bars and deposit peanut butter uniformly between crackers.” 



Mr. Lance and his son-in-law, Salem Van Every, delivered the delicious peanut butter sandwiches on foot with baskets until they acquired funds and resources for a delivery system in 1924.  



By 1924, the delivery system majorly upgraded due to the efforts of postal carriers, truck drivers and railways. Delivery trucks operated around Charlotte, with each salesman owning their own truck to sell the fresh products. With weekly shipments of 125,000 pounds of goods delivered to the 50 full-time drivers, over one million miles were put on the trucks each year from deliveries.  

In 1926, Mr. Lance tragically died in an automobile accident in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Newspaper reports state that he “swerved his machine in effort to avoid hitting wagon while touring territory served by his company in the lower part of South Carolina.”  



His death dissolved the partnership he and Van Every shared, resulting in a corporation being formed. The business moved to 1300 South Boulevard to occupy a two and a half story warehouse that previously served as a hosiery, Duck pants factory and lumber plant. 



Following Mr. Lance’s death, Van Every served as president until 1943. His golden rule principle was to “put to work the minds, enthusiasm, and ingenuity of loyal and experienced men and women around him.”



When we hear “Lance,” the brands Nekot, Captain’s Wafers, Van-O Lunch and Toastchee also come to mind. Each version of the original peanut butter sandwich is still wildly popular today. 

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This blog was written by Sydney Carroll, archivist of the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room,  and Julia Zwetolitz, marketing & communications intern, of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. All photos are courtesy of the Robison-Spangler Carolina Room.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always enjoyed reading. My earliest memories are those I’ve spent at the library. From dressing up as a bumblebee for a Halloween event to making many different arts and crafts projects with my mother, the library has always felt like a home away from home.  

Born in a seaside fishing town in Tamil Nadu, India, I moved to America with my family when I was a couple of months old. I’ve spent almost 19 years of my life moving from one state to another, from Colorado to New Jersey to Virginia to finally settling down in Charlotte, North Carolina. Each new place meant a new library card. 

The library wasn’t just a building to me as a child, it was a palace filled with endless worlds of stories and possibilities.  

As I grew older, the library became a place for me to not only check out books, but to study with my friends. I spent most days after high school at the South County Regional Library studying with my best friend in the teen area. While there may have been more moments of laughter than studying, I’ve always appreciated how the library caters to every season and stage in our lives.  

From reading Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco to Beloved by Toni Morrison, the books I’ve checked out at the library throughout my life have allowed me to step into different realities and become a more understanding and empathetic person.  

Looking back at my childhood as an immigrant, I can see the important role the library played during those developmental years in providing a welcoming environment for my family and I in a new country.  

Every trip I’ve made back home to visit my relatives in India, my suitcases have been packed with books but on my trip this past summer I was able to utilize the library’s e-books. While I absolutely love my hometown in India, it is disheartening to see that many places in India do not have the same public library facilities that are in America. 

Recently, books I have borrowed from the library, such as A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza, have allowed me to better understand my life as a minority in America caught in the middle of two drastically different cultures. In the future, I hope to be a part of creating a public library space in my hometown for people of all ages and backgrounds to discover new books and become lifelong learners.  

If I were to visit all the towns I grew up in, I would have to stop by the libraries because of how many memories it would bring back. I’m thankful for my parents who have spent countless hours in these libraries with me and my brother.  Without my parents, I wouldn’t be the book lover I am today.  

Being a fall 2019 marketing and communications intern at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has been a full-circle experience for me because I get to give back to an institution that has given me so much.  

The columns in front of the Main Library building showcase quotes on reading and learning from famous people across time. On the first day of my internship, I read a quote on one column by John Grisham that said “The first thing my family did when we moved was join the local church. The second was to go to the library and get library cards.” As I moved from state to state over the past couple of years, this has been true for my family, too. 

The library is a haven where I have spent countless hours reading and spending time with the people I love. I know in the future, that wherever I go, the library will continue to be that for me.   

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This blog was written and posted with permission by Josephine Justin, student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. 

Do you or someone you know have a story of impact to share with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library? Please email our Marketing & Communications Specialist, Asha Ellison, at [email protected].

Did you know that November is Native American History Month? Keep reading for a brief history on Native Americans in North Carolina and learn how the tribes made their way to the “Tar Heel” state.

Map of Native American Tribes in North Carolina

Paleoindian Period

The oldest Native American cultural period in North Carolina is the Paleoindian Period. The Paleoindian Period occurred around 10,000 BCE during the Ice Age. Native Americans were nomadic, so they had limited possessions and their access to temporary shelter made travel easy. Since they lived during the Ice Age and many large mammals were close to extinction, Native Americans who lived at the time relied on smaller woodland mammals for food. In order to hunt and gather, spears were created as hunting tools and baskets were made to store food. The oldest spear found is called Clovis, which dates between 9500-8500 BC. It was slender with a long flute to attach the spear. Around 8000 BCE another spear, the Hardaway-Dalton, was created. It did not have a flute, but there were shallow indentations on each side of the spear by the base.

 Arrowheads



Archaic Period

Native Americans who lived during the Archaic Period used similar tools as the people in the Paleoindian Period did, but changes in diet and hunting were made. The archaic period lasted from 8000 BC-1000 BC, when groups of 25-100 native peoples came to North Carolina. These groups moved during each season and lived near the floodplains. Native peoples living during this time hunted deer, aquatic animals and other small game. The invention of the atlatl, or spear, allowed them to launch it forcibly and far to hunt. Plants were used for medicinal purposes. Stone tools were made to use as jewelry, decorative pins, grooved axes, balancing weights called balance stones for atlatls, fishhooks and awls. Later, they started weaving baskets.

Catawba potter coiling

 

Woodland Period

The Woodland period brought changes in shelter, weaponry,and interaction with other tribes from different states. Archeologists debate how long this period lasted. Many believe that the Woodland Period started in 1000 BC and ended when the Europeans came around AD 600. This period brought the manufacture of clay pots, semi-permanent villages, gardens and settlements occupied by people for several months a year. Styles of pots are adopted from contact with other places such as Ohio and Tennessee. Populations began to increase and wild animals were still hunted as the main sources of food. Pottery styles started to spread through North Carolina with designs that allowed the pottery to also be used for cooking. As for weaponry, the bow and arrow replaced the atlatl, which enabled hunters to hunt more effectively and efficiently. When burying loved ones, members commonly began to include personal artifacts with the body.

Catawba map

Mississippian or Late Woodland

Religious and ceremonial practices, a new diet, and hierarchies were brought into the Mississippian or Late Woodland Period. This period took place largely in the Piedmont and mountain areas of the Carolinas. It takes place in 8000-1000 BCE. Native Americans in this time ate more corn, squash, and beans as opposed to meat. More modern and permanent homes were built in squares and rectangles. In the Piedmont region houses were oval. Many platform mounds (earthen mounds on top of burned remains of ceremonial lodges) were used for religious and political purposes. Complex pottery styles with intricate designs were used to hold and cook food, as well as for urns. Organization of the social hierarchy also took place during this period.

The village of Pomeioc, North Carolina, 1585

Courtesy of the National Archives Records Administration, 535753

Battles

Due to conflicts, changes in weather and diseases; populations began to decline, and battles broke out between North and South Carolina tribes. The Catawba tribe, one of the most well-known tribes in North and South Carolina, fought with European settlers against the French, Spanish and British loyalists. Enemy tribes who fought with the French were the Iroquois, Cherokee, Shawnee and Algonquin. These battles led to expansion issues, decline of populations and slavery. The Tuscarora and Yamasee Wars resulted in the most devastating circumstance for many tribes. With colonial settlements close to the tribes, many Catawbas became captured by British and sold as slaves. The smallpox epidemic, weather, destruction of towns and the influx of refugees caused a population decrease.

Group of Catawba in Rock Hill, South Carolina

Reservations

The Catawba Nation has a rocky history in the Carolinas. In 1759, the Catawba negotiated with the South Carolina government for a reservation in Rock Hill, SC. In 1760, 20 absorbed parts of tribes were in the area. In 1775, the Catawba fought against Cherokee and Lord Charles Cornwallis. Five years later in 1780, the English captured Charlestowne and the Catawba fled to North Carolina. By 1881, the Catawba returned to see their village destroyed. With a fear of their population soon to be extinct, the Catawba signed a treaty at Nation Ford to sell land to South Carolina, but this violated state laws. They went to North Carolina with a promise of land, but then the state refused to give them the promised land. The Catawbas then returned to South Carolina. In 1850 a 630-acre tract was selected on the west bank of the Catawba river in their old reservation. Catawba finally became a federally recognized tribe in 1973. In 2000, Over 2,200 Native Americans still live in Rock Hill.

Map of Catawba Indian Reservation

 

Federally Recognized Tribes

In order to become recognized as a tribe in North and South Carolina, there are rules and responsibilities required by the government. Federally recognized tribes are an American Indian or Alaska Native tribe entity that is recognized as a government-to-government relationship with the United States, with the with the responsibilities, powers, limitations, and obligations attached to that designation, and is eligible for funding and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Treaties, acts passed by Congress, and presidential orders allow tribes to reach this status.

Native Americans have made countless sacrifices in their history. It is vital to recognize and respect their culture and celebrate its lasting beauty.

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This blog was written by Julia Zwetolitz, marketing and communications intern with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

All photos are courtesy of the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room unless otherwise specified.