CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Black history is woven throughout North Carolina. In Charlotte, a nonprofit is making sure it’s not erased by the influx of new developments.

A Black leader and CEO of the organization explains the importance of representation in a growing city every day.

What You Need To Know

  •  One nonprofit shares the importance of representation in the Queen City

  • "If it doesn't lift all boats, we are not living up to what we say we should be living up to as a community," University City Partners CEO Keith Stanley said

  •  Black History Month is celebrated during February

Today, Keith Stanley runs University City Partners in Charlotte, but his journey didn't start there. It began in Montgomery, Alabama at Alabama State, a historically Black college.

"It was created in 1867 by nine former enslaved brothers and sisters, and it was it was quite the experience," Stanley said.

He gained lessons that weren’t just taught in the classroom, he also learned the importance of Black history.

"People may say, well, no, we shouldn't have Black History Month because we're all Americans. That will be the case if we all were taught the history of African Americans, and there's so many African Americans who have done some just great work improving our community, improving our country," Stanley said.

That includes Stanley, who works to help other local businesses grow. University City Partners was just awarded a grant, worth almost $240,000, to go into the pockets of small businesses. It's an investment, he said.

“Businesses come in many different sizes, shapes and colors ... and so we support everybody. But it's also good to see Black and brown businesses being supported. We need that economic tie to lift all boats, and if it doesn't lift all boats, we are not living up to what we say we should be living up to as a community," Stanley said.

He’s helping businesses succeed, but he’s also making sure Black history isn’t forgotten.

"We enjoy all the new development, but we also want to embrace the past ... like those who created the elevator, those who created the soles in our shoes, the traffic light, the list goes on. African Americans have contributed, and we just either ignored or is wiped away ... and I think that does a disservice not only to young Black kids who we need to encourage to go into STEM and other programs, but also the community at large, who then they perceive that there hasn’t been major contributions made by the African-American community," Stanley said.

Stanley said UCP has major plans in the next year to continue helping businesses, and in the meantime, he’s donating to Black businesses and museums to ensure history remains in the Queen City.