Philanthropy is often a word people associate with the wealthiest in society — many of whom are white. At the Charlotte Museum of History, there’s a new exhibit that aims to reframe what philanthropy entails and spotlights the efforts of Black philanthropists.
On a recent afternoon, Jasmine Stowe fiddled with a box at the museum that had chalk with a range of colors, such as blue, pink, and green. She settled for white and headed over to a black wall.
“I’m writing, 'Give back, our babies depend on it,'” Stowe said.
She says she decided to record those words because of her profession.
“I am an educator. So, children are important to me,” Stowe said. "I know how important it is to make sure they have the resources that they need to be successful.”
Stowe left her mark on a wall topped with a big sign that reads “Why I Give Back.” The wall is plastered with messages: “to ease burdens,” ‘to build the futures,” and “I love us.”
A big poster of Sarah Stevenson also stands out. Stevenson, who was Black, was a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board member who helped create a plan to bus students for desegregation in the 1970s.
Nearby the picture of Stevenson was Charles Thomas. Thomas is with the Knight Foundation and one of the people behind the exhibit.
“We wanted to profile folks who were civil rights activists. Folks who were known, as well as folks who are giving in ways some might quantify as small and little ways,” Thomas said. "Just to show that philanthropy belongs to the African American community.”
Stevenson held many roles besides being a school board member. She was involved in local politics through the Black Political Caucus and formed the Tuesday Morning Breakfast Forum. The forum is where candidates running for local office often turn to showcase what they would bring to the community if elected.
That's part of the reason Thomas says it was important to spotlight Stevenson's impact. “For Sarah Stevenson to be the leader that she was in our community and then to give back to us by holding a forum, by convening, by bringing people together,” Thomas said.
George Davis, a prominent Charlotte educator, is also featured in the exhibit. Thomas said it is key to highlight philanthropy efforts that focus on volunteer work and supporting neighbours.
“If we don’t have these stories, we don’t uplift them, we begin to feel powerless, like we are not in control, and that we can’t make the changes in our communities that we have been doing for centuries,” Thomas said.
The "Giving Back: The Soul of Philanthropy Reframed and Exhibited" debuted at Johnson C. Smith University in 2015 and has since toured more than 30 cities, including Chicago and Atlanta.
Wandering the exhibit was Valaida Fullwood. She has interacted with museum visitors alongside Thomas. Visitors who were making a second appearance at the museum to see the exhibit alongside friends from Florida.
Fullwood is the exhibit’s cofounder and is behind the book titled "Giving Back: A Tribute to Generations of African American Philanthropists." It was published in 2011, with Thomas as a co-author who captured the photos in the book. Fullwood says she wrote the book to change perceptions on how Black people are framed when it comes to philanthropy.
“The stories mainly told highlighted and centered white givers, and when Black people were included, we were with our hands out or in need ... I knew a different story and felt compelled to share those stories,” Fullwood said.
Fullwood is also the co-founder of The New Generation of African American Philanthropists. The group was formed in 2006 and now has nearly 100 members. The group distributes grants and supports Black initiatives and nonprofits. Since its founding, Fullwood says they’ve handed out over 2 million dollars in Charlotte.
Part of the reason Fullwood says the exhibit and Black stories on philanthropy are unique is tied to African-Americans' history in a country where they have been deprived.
“Of opportunities to have wealth and be stripped of any worldly possessions. And even denied our humanity in some instances,” Fullwood said. "In response, we leaned in to our humanity through generosity and giving in a host of ways, the ways you do when you don’t have currency or money to give, in caring for each other, and showing love.”
When thinking about the exhibit, Fullwood often likes to paraphrase an old African proverb on display.
“That says, ‘Until the lion tells his story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter,’” Fullwood.
The message is one Fullwood hopes visitors carry with them.
The Soul of Philanthropy exhibit is on display at the Charlotte Museum of History through Oct.19.
