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Exhibits and Projects

All of these online exhibits feature Special Collections and University Archives materials, including oral history interviews, archives, and rare publications.

Google Arts and Culture Charlotte logo

Charlotte is the first city in the American south and the third in the U.S. to be featured in Google Arts & Culture's global initiative to capture and share the unique culture of cities. We are excited to partner with Google, along with 12 other institutions, on this initiative. Visit our partner page to view stories about Charlotte’s historic past through postcards, African American and Civil Rights history in Charlotte, and the early history of Charlotte College and UNC Charlotte, plus so much more. Check back from time to time to see what’s new!

Flowers and a handmade paper heart reading "Charlotte Strong"

In the wake of the tragic shooting on April 30, 2019, impromptu memorials at the Kennedy building and the Miner statue were filled with hundreds of candles, flowers, letters of condolence, and other mementos of our collective grief and sadness. Archival materials featured on this site highlight the ways in which UNC Charlotte, the surrounding community, and the nation grieved together in the days following the tragedy. They showcase the resilience of our campus community and the ways in which we will always remember those who were lost and forever changed that day.

Uptown Charlotte, mid-20th Century

This timeline is an introduction to some of the significant topics and events in the Civil Rights Movement and the African American community in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, with an emphasis on events that took place during the 1960s and 1970s. The timeline includes historic moments that took place in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, and selected events that happened elsewhere that had a significant national or international impact. 

Screenshot of walking tour map

You can enjoy this tour while on campus or from any location, making it the perfect way to learn about UNC Charlotte history.  Access the tour on mobile devices through the Clio app or a web browser. You can also print it to carry along while taking the tour in person.

Jewel in the Crown cover art

 Jewel in the Crown is an e-book that chronicles the postwar development of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte from a temporary night school for returning veterans into a college, and eventually the fourth campus in the UNC system.

Alan Kulwicki in his racing car

This exhibit explores the life and legacy of NASCAR champion Alan D. Kulwicki. It honors Kulwicki’s career in professional stock car racing and the achievements of his self-owned team, AK Racing.  Kulwicki’s success helped to launch a new generation of motorsports engineering in NASCAR and at UNC Charlotte.

stock car race

This timeline highlights some of the key moments in the history of stock car racing during the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, with an emphasis on both the Charlotte region. The timeline was created by two undergraduate students, Jessica Rios and Caleb Whisler, with support from library employees Jacqui Celecia and Rita Johnston.

Bonnie Cone sitting at her desk, 1958

In 1987, just over twenty years after the University of North Carolina at Charlotte obtained university status, former student John Kilgo made this comment on his WBT broadcast: “And what frightens me is that modern-day students will forget the school’s beginning. We just don’t give sacred things and honored people the position we once did.” With this in mind, we have created this website to honor Bonnie Cone’s trailblazing and inspiring path as the founder of UNC Charlotte.