Trail blazer
December 1, 2021
by Cathy Martin • photograph by Justin Driscoll
Sharp-eyed walkers and joggers on Little Sugar Creek Greenway in Midtown might notice something new on their next stroll or run: A statue of Julius Chambers, the legendary civil-rights lawyer, was unveiled Oct. 30 and now sits at the fountain near the intersection of Torrence Street and Kings Drive. The bronze figure by Kentucky sculptor Ed Hamilton joins industrialist James B. Duke, retail magnate William Henry Belk, Chief King Haigler — leader of the Catawba nation in the mid-18th century — and others as part of the Trail of History, a nonprofit that honors key figures who contributed to the growth and development of Mecklenburg County.
Chambers was born in Mount Gilead in 1936, earned a law degree at UNC Chapel Hill and opened his Charlotte practice in 1964. He successfully argued several landmark civil rights cases influencing state and national legislation and is perhaps best-known for the 1971 Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education case that led to the integration of public schools across the U.S.
His statue, depicting Chambers in motion with briefcase in hand, is the ninth project along the trail, which spans from 7th Street to Morehead. The trail started in 2010 with The Spirit of Mecklenburg, the larger-than-life statue depicting Captain James Jack on horseback delivering the Mecklenburg Resolves to Congress in Philadelphia in 1775. Its construction was the result of a partnership with the May 20th Society, a volunteer-run organization that celebrates the history of Mecklenburg County through annual events commemorating the signing of The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence (known as the MeckDec), a speaker series, and the creation of the Charlotte Liberty Walk, a self-guided historical tour of uptown Charlotte.
After the first statue was unveiled, organizers decided to expand the trail to 22 sculpture projects, says Julie Fogg, executive director of the May 20th Society. A history committee researches potential subjects and presents findings to the Trail of History board, which is led by former Central Piedmont Community College President Tony Zeiss. Once approved, a fundraising committee works to secure financing.
“We want to make sure we have people representing all the different time periods,” says Fogg, who also serves on the board of the Trail of History. The group is currently raising funds for the construction of statues of artist Romare Bearden, musician Loonis McGlohon and others. The next statue of Dr. Annie Alexander, North Carolina’s first female physician, will be unveiled in 2022. SP
