a JLC feature
The Evolution of the Junior League of Charlotte: A Queen Is Born by Anna-Bryce Hobson
The year is 1926, and the role of women in society is changing at unparalleled speed. World War I has forced many women to dramatically reinvent themselves and shift their roles within the household unit, from homemaker and caregiver to primary breadwinner. Having gained the right to vote only six years prior, many women feel liberated and invigorated with the prospect of making a name for themselves in their communities, in the workplace and in the news. The amount of working women in the United States increases to nearly 20% of the overall workforce. Gone are the days of corsets and long skirts. Women’s new positions push fashion trends towards clothes that can accommodate women’s more active lifestyles. And, of course, it is in this year that the now larger-than-life Queen Elizabeth II is born. But she isn’t the only “royal” making her grand appearance. The city of Charlotte, the “Queen City,” is making a big statement in the textile industry. North Charlotte is filled with massive mills and rows of mill houses; you can feel the dust and lint floating through the air and hear the deafening sound of the steam-powered machinery echoing through the growing city. A city that had a population of roughly 20,000 at the start of the century is now rapidly approaching a population count of nearly 80,000 people. It is in this same year that a group of 30 women in Charlotte decide to form an organization in their community where they can provide support to local families in need, advocate for education, and promote the arts. They are trailblazers, yes, but they are also a product of their generation – of a movement and a new vision for what women could do. Due to the resolve and passion of these women, the Junior League of Charlotte, Inc. (JLC) is born.
A Noble Cause Throughout the last 95 years, the League has evolved as the city it calls home has grown, welcomed new businesses and sports teams, and become one of the most sought-after cities to live in throughout the United States. The League has contributed more than $13.7 million to the city of Charlotte and another 1.6 million volunteer hours. It has
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served the needs of a city that has fought many battles over the years. In the 1960’s, Charlotte’s downtown area went through an “urban renewal” effort, replacing low-income housing with skyscrapers, some of which still comprise Charlotte’s Uptown skyline today. Interestingly, part of this renewal effort resulted in Charlotte’s City Council officially declaring that downtown Charlotte would formally be referred to as “Uptown” going forward. In the past 20 years, Charlotte has become a major player on the world-finance stage, calling itself “home base” for the likes of Bank of America and Truist. Business professionals have flocked to the city and paid the hefty price tag to live in Charlotte’s Uptown, NoDa, and Plaza Midwood districts. This urban sprawl has all but consumed traditionally lower-income neighborhoods – displacing families who have lived in these areas for generations. Gentrification in the areas surrounding Uptown started in the mid-1990s and many now admit that Charlotte faces a housing crisis for those families in lower income brackets. These changes have also impacted the cultural, healthcare, and educational opportunities afforded to children of lower-income families in recent years. The Junior League of Charlotte, recognizing the struggles created by growth, helped create, fund and support places like The Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, Discovery Place, and The Charlotte Nature Museum. Likewise, JLC members have volunteered thousands of hours with organizations like The Council for Children’s Rights, Charlotte Speech and Hearing, Thompson Child Development Center, and Levine Children’s Hospital Family Resource Center. The JLC was founded by women with a keen understanding of how they could use their position within Charlotte for good. Over the years, JLC members have continued to dedicate themselves to helping the less fortunate, level the playing field for all children, and offer services to the underserved so that they may know and appreciate all that Charlotte has to offer. The changing landscape of the city has impacted the ways in which the League serves the community, and it is this change that has inspired innovation and investment into the lives of so many young people.
