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Harvey Gantt stands on the steps of Sikes Hall on the day he entered Clemson University as its first Black student in 1963.
On this holiday to honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Americans are reflecting on King’s legacy and the divisiveness of the country, especially given the mob attack on the U.S. Capitol more than a week ago.
In his famous 1963 Letter from a Birmingham Jail, King wrote that “the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” These are indeed challenging times that have many in the country wondering how we move forward as a nation. It’s a question former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt has thought about over the years, including when he was the first African American to attend Clemson University and when he lost in a tight race for the U.S. Senate in 1990 that was racially charged.