Founded in 1912 by Dr. Henry Lawrence McCrorey, the visionary leader and president of the university now called Johnson C. Smith,

McCrorey Heights was developed between the 1950s-1970s as a sought after enclave for Charlotte’s rising African American professionals.

Several residents emerged as both local and national civil rights icons, as the neighborhood nurtured key drivers of progress and change.

The community persevered despite government takings of land for infrastructure projects, preserving its identity even amid surrounding transformations.

Today, McCrorey Heights remains a testament to possibility, a reminder of legacy, and a symbol of Black excellence on Charlotte’s historic West Side. Its brick homes housed the full range of trailblazing teachers, doctors, professors, and entrepreneurs at a time when such livelihoods seemed unattainable for many Black citizens.

While some gentrification can be seen, the neighborhood largely maintains its original community character from the period it first formed as a center of opportunity for African Americans. This was achieved through determination, bonds between neighbors, and civil rights leadership that emerged within these blocks. McCrorey Heights stands tall as an enduring emblem of what a united, empowered community can achieve.