The McCrorey Heights community was developed in the 1950s as an affluent African American neighborhood in the West End of Charlotte, North Carolina. Land was originally purchased in 1912 for the area by Dr. H.L. McCrorey, the second Black president of the nearby Johnson C. Smith University. Dr. McCrorey oversaw early development of the community until his passing in 1951.

Key Leaders Drive the Civil Rights Movement

McCrorey Heights’ history directly connects to Charlotte’s civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Many prominent activists and attorneys resided in the neighborhood, including Dr. Reginald Hawkins, Charles V. Bell, and Thomas Wyche. Wyche filed one of the earliest desegregation lawsuits in North Carolina, forcing open city golf courses to black players.

Shaping History, Preserving a Legacy

McCrorey Heights nurtured the growth of Charlotte’s thriving middle class black community, home to many medical, business and education leaders. Residents helped organize some of Charlotte’s defining, transformative events during the era of segregation.

Today, McCrorey Heights remains a vibrant neighborhood that retains its historic identity. Despite societal challenges faced over the decades, residents have fought to protect the area’s cultural richness and vital role in Charlotte’s ongoing narrative.