Donations to the Archives

Dr. Carter donated two photographs to the archives; one of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., leader in the Civil Rights Movement and one of Muhammad Ali, professional boxer and activist with Jesse Jackson, civil rights activist, Baptist minister, and politician.

Additionally, Dr. Carter donated the signed copy of the City of Charlotte, NC Proclamation proclaiming April 9, 2017 as Johnson C. Smith University Day.

Dr. Carter also donated a 1936 newspaper clip that highlighted “Negroes” first visit to the Mint Museum with Dr. Thomas Long, head of the music department of Johnson C. Smith University, serving as the host.

Dr. James B. Ewers, Jr., youth advocate, consultant, author and President Emeritus of the Teen Mentoring Committee (TMC) of Ohio and alumni of Johnson C. Smith University donated 23 photographs of prominent African American leaders. The photographs will be digitized, preserved, and added to the archives and Digital Smith Collection.

Dr. James B. Ewers, Jr. (Right) with Ron Brown (Left), first African American to serve as the U. S. Secretary of Commerce

Some of the photographs include images of Ron Brown, first African American to serve as the U. S. Secretary of Commerce; Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader; Serena Williams, Grand Slam tennis champion; Tavis Smiley, talk show host; Archbishop Desmund Tutu, 1984 Nobel Peace Prize Winner; and Shirley Chisholm, Congresswoman, and first African American woman to run for President of the United States of America in 1972.

Dr. James B. Ewers, Jr. received his B.A. degree in Political Science from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he attended on a tennis scholarship.

He was All-Conference for four years and his record of having won 34 consecutive tennis singles matches still stands. Included in this streak are wins over Purdue and Northwestern Universities. He is a member of the University’s Hall of Fame. Dr. Ewers received his M. A. degree in Education from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. and the Ed. D. degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA. He has also done postdoctoral studies at Harvard University where he was a 1996 graduate of the Management Development Program.

Dr. James B. Ewers, Jr. is the author of “Perspectives from Where I Sit: Essays on Education, Parenting and Teen Issues.” Dr. Ewers served as the Chief Student Affairs Officer at Edward Waters College, and throughout his career he has been a strong advocate for students and for developing partnerships with community agencies. He retired in 2012. Dr. Ewers is married to Deborah L. Ewers. They have three children and five grandchildren.

Having images of prominent leaders as part of the Inez Moore Parker Archives will benefit JCSU’s students and Faculty in promoting research and understanding the value of how images are important artifacts in telling and contributing to American history.