Harvey Gantt: February 5, 1992
Harvey Gantt (born 1943) was a trailblazer in every meaning of the word, paving the way for African-Americans through his many achievements. Born into a working class family in the segregated South, Gantt grew up seeing curiosities and differences between the races. In a 2017 interview with Tommy Tomlinson, he stated that he often wondered why whites were allowed to do things ways and they were not. Through these experiences Gantt gained a thirst for knowledge and understanding of the issue. He became involved in the civil rights movement, including taking part in a sit-in at a local restaurant that went on for hours until the students were arrested.
Gantt would from these experiences go on to achieve a number of first for the African-American community. Gantt would become the first Black person to attend Clemson University, breaking Clemson's long history of segregation. He also became the first African-American Mayor of Charlotte, NC. Gantt also ran two campaigns for the US Senate, sadly falling short to Jesse Helms in both 1990 and 1996.
SUNY Plattsburgh students had the opportunity to hear Gantt speak in February 1992. At the time Gantt was coming off of his first loss to Helms, which he loss in a close race that many believe came down to Helms’ infamous “Hands” ad criticizing Gantt’s support for affirmative action. In his speech on campus, documented by Cardinal Points writer Mike Clendenin, Gantt warned about the racial divide and the cost of remaining silent on the race issue. Gantt gave three suggestion to change the national attitude. He called for people to embrace an open and honest dialogue on race, as well as acknowledging that it is a long road to real change. Gantt also warned about instant gratification and claiming that politicians need to tell the people what needs to happen as opposed to what they want to hear.
The message Gantt delivered to SUNY Plattsburgh in 1992 still holds water today. African-Americans are still disadvantaged, and politics now are incredibly divisive. Gantt closed with a statement that still fits today, in the Trump era: “You might think I’m a pessimist, but I’m really an optimist. I see a tremendous opportunity for those who will accept, to change the course of this country.” I think that is still true today, but like Gantt said “We need to evaluate where we are and realize that it’s going to take some effort, pain, and some sacrifice to affect a change in our situation.”
--Jacob Baird '19