01
Digital Collections
Curated photographs, oral histories, records, and artifacts connected to Charlotte Mecklenburg African American experiences.
Charlotte Mecklenburg African American History
A living archive for our stories, our history, and our legacy.
The People's Archive of African American History is being developed as a single trusted repository where individuals, families, institutions, and communities can discover, preserve, and build upon the stories of Black Charlotte.
Mission
Collect. Preserve. Share.
To collect, preserve, and share the stories and artifacts of Charlotte's Black communities through a dynamic public archive, engaging exhibits, and educational programs that keep history alive and accessible.
A community that documents itself.
Brooklyn gathering · provenance pending
The Archive
One repository. Many voices.
The archive is envisioned as a centralized digital space for photographs, oral histories, heirlooms, documents, exhibits, and primary source materials that document the vibrant history and culture of African American contributions to Mecklenburg County.
The first phase focuses on digital collections while building the foundation for future physical exhibits, programming, and long-term community preservation.
02
Public Exhibits
Online and physical exhibits that translate collections into accessible learning experiences.
03
Community Contributions
A path for individuals, families, churches, institutions, and organizations to help preserve the stories most at risk of being lost.
“Our History, In Our Own Hands.”
Stories
History lives in photographs, voices, places, and memories.
From scattered records to shared memories.
Carver crowd · provenance pending
Partnership
Built through collaboration.
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Black Heritage Committee (CMBHC) will manage the implementation of the People's Archive of African American History (PAAAH) in collaboration with its partners.
Updates
Coming soon
Updates, community listening sessions, collection priorities, volunteer opportunities, and public programs will be posted here.
Support the Work
Help preserve what cannot be replaced.
Your support will help sustain and enhance the website, strengthen our archival infrastructure, provide essential administrative support, advance digitization efforts, and ensure the long-term preservation and accessibility of valuable historical resources.