A Charlotte Museum of History exhibit seeks to correct misconceptions about Black philanthropy.
Three sentences are inscribed on a black wall of the museum: “for us,” “to spread joy,” and “to change lives.” Some members of the community choose to contribute back in part because of the scribbles.
The text leads visitors to the “Giving Back: The Soul of Philanthropy Reframed” exhibit, which highlights Black benefactors including George Davis, a well-known Black educator in Charlotte in the early 1900s, and Sarah Stevenson, a former member of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board.
Additionally, the exhibit is an extension of the 2011 book “Giving Back: A Tribute to Generations of African American Philanthropists.”
Co-author Valaida Fullwood and Charles Thomas of the Knight Foundation collaborated on the book and exhibit’s curation. According to Thomas, altering preconceptions is one of the goals behind the book and exhibit.
According to Thomas, there has been a false narrative that Black people are not charitable or generous. Therefore, the goal of this is to correct that information, change the narrative, and then, in the end, consider how we may all empower ourselves.
According to Thomas, generosity in the Black community encompasses more than just financial contributions; it also involves volunteering and helping out neighbors. Since making its premiere at Johnson C. Smith University in 2015, the show has traveled to over 30 locations, including Chicago and Atlanta.
Last week, Thomas and Fullwood participated in a panel discussion hosted by the Levine Museum of the New South in Charlotte’s low-income, predominantly Black West Boulevard neighborhood. The debate focused on philanthropic initiatives for people in minority neighborhoods.
Through October 19, the exhibit “Giving Back: The Soul of Philanthropy Reframed” will be open.
