Harvey Gantt
Chair | Charlotte MOVES Task Force
Harvey Bernard Gantt is a former Charlotte Mayor , a leading local architect , urban planner , and civil rights pioneer .
Harvey studied architecture at Iowa State University , and in January 1963 , he became the first African- American student accepted at Clemson University . He graduated from Clemson in 1965 , earning a Bachelor ’ s degree in Architecture and later a Master of City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT ).
In 1971 he co-founded Gantt Huberman Architects , a pioneering firm blending urban planning with the practice of architecture . He joined the Charlotte City Council in 1974 and again broke barriers when he was elected Charlotte ’ s first African-American mayor in 1983 . He continues to advocate for equity , racial justice , and community-building through his work on civic , cultural , business , and philanthropic boards and initiatives .
WHO | The Task Force 7