Black History Month is a time to celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans both nationally and locally. Historic Rosedale will be hosting four African American community members who will discuss their journeys and accomplishments.
The Great Escape: The Underground Railway will open from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm for viewing. The 1815 Rosedale house will also be open for FREE viewing as an extra special treat in celebration of Black History Month and our local community.
12:00 pm: Kimberly Butler, Gospel and classically trained vocalist will perform.
12:30 pm: Harvey Boyd, a native of Matthews North Carolina, designed the Mecklenburg County Seal in 1963 when he was only 19 years old. A graduate of Central Piedmont Community College he worked as an advertisement designer for the Charlotte Observer before heading to Washington D.C. In the nation’s capital he worked for the Washington Post designing advertisement for big name clients such as GM and Pillsbury. Harvey also worked for the U.S. State Department in Saudi Arabia and has fond memories of his time in that country. The Boyd family is well known for their service in the Charlotte area. In addition to Harvey’s development of the County seal, his grandparents founded the Mt Moriah Missionary Baptist Church. While he was not widely recognized at the time for this achievement on the Mecklenburg County Seal, he was recently honored with Mecklenburg County’s Order of The Hornet, the County’s highest honor. Harvey will be available after his lecture for a book signing of his memoir “Evolution: Honoring The True First In Freedom Seal.” There will be a limited number of copies of this book available for sale, and guests should feel free to bring their own copies of the memoir for signing as well.
1:30: Martha Rucker is a celebrated local artist and author. Martha was born in South Carolina and has been an artist and art educator for over 30 years. She won a scholarship to New York City’s Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) where she received an Associate Degree. After earning her BA and MA from The City University of New York (CUNY) she obtained a job teaching art in elementary school in The Newark Public School System in New Jersey. Martha developed the Mosaic Collage technique when doing a sample to introduce her students to the art of collage. Mosaic Collage is a unique form of art that involves cut paper inlayed in mosaic fashion to create a realistic image. Martha returned to South Carolina in 2006, and in 2009 was motivated by Barack Obama’s Inauguration to begin new pieces. She likes doing portraits, statement pieces and integrating technology into the creative process. As an author, Martha has written several books. Her works range from a three-part Children’s series entitled “The Adventures of Peanut,” to more somber titles that deal with heavier adult topics. Guests should feel free to bring their own copies of any of Martha's books for signing as well.
2:30 Kyle Smith, is a descendent of Nat (Caldwell), an enslaved blacksmith of the former Rosedale plantation. Nat is well known to have trained many others in blacksmithing in and around the Charlotte area, enslaved and free. Nat’s grandson and Kyle’s 2nd great-grandfather, George Washington Caldwell, Sr., was also trained by Nat as a blacksmith and worked throughout the Charlotte area in the 19th Century. Kyle is a member of Historic Rosedale’s descendant-lead African American Legacy Committee and is a chief designer of both the Rosedale Memorial Garden and the Rosedale Commemorative Plaque, which honor and enshrine the names and memories of the enslaved of Rosedale.
Kyle is a native of Staten Island, New York with family roots from both 3rd Ward, Charlotte, NC and Newell, NC. He is an alumnus of Morehouse College in Atlanta and a graduate of Hunter College, CUNY in New York City. His time at both institutions lent much to developing his interest and eventual work in ancestral practices, veneration and family genealogy – 1st as a member of the pan-African organization Stolen Legacy-Daughters of Africa (Hunter Clg.) under author and anthropologist Marimba Ani and presently having more than 20 years as an Orisa devotee and practitioner. In 2024, Kyle celebrates 13yrs as an ordained priest of Afro-Cuban Kongo initiatory rights.
Kyle has compiled four books of family data and history for both sides of his family line and is currently working on the 2nd edition of his most comprehensive work which highlights the history of his maternal line to Rosedale. Kyle will be talking about the importance of genealogical research and knowing one’s personal family history.
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