On October 27, past and present community leaders from throughout Charlotte-Mecklenburg came together for a central goal: to celebrate and honor the rich history of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations.

What began in 1961 as the Mayor’s Friendly Relations Committee, charged with calming local racial tensions of the time, has developed into a group renowned in the community for advocating on behalf of all residents.
 
Now called Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations, this division of the City Manager’s office serves as a civil and human rights protection group.

View pictures from the 50th anniversary celebration.

At the celebration, Service Awards for past chairs were distributed:

• Chapin A. Ferguson
• Harriet Kaplan
• Sam Smith
• C. Don Steger
• Angeles Ortega-Moore
• Jack Bullard, former CRC Executive Director
• Dr. John R. Cunningham (posthumously)
• Dr. Warner Hall (posthumously)
• Dr. Leon Riddick (posthumously)
• Dr. J. Randolph Taylor (posthumously)
• Dr. Billy Wireman (posthumously)

Additionally, several partners in our community were also honored:

Partnership Awards
Dianne English
Maria Hanlin

Justice Seeker Awards
John Crawford
Rafael Prieto

Lifetime Achievement Awards
Harvey Gantt
Sarah Stevenson