sjohncltaol | Sarah Stevenson

Updates on Sarah Stevenon

Posted on January 1, 2021November 13, 2021 by sjohncltaol

As 2021 opened, younger sister Elloree Erwin continued to update Sarah Stevenson's friends on her condition and on ways to visit. Erwin's updates in 2020 are here. Nov. 13, 2021 Elloree Erwin, Sarah’s sister, writes, “Please share Sarah’s direct phone number. It is 980-335-0771. We’ve been successful in getting this done. It would’ve been done earlier had we known that we could have this don...

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2020: Sarah Stevenson’s move into care facility

Posted on December 17, 2020January 15, 2021 by sjohncltaol

The year 2020 turned tortuous just weeks after the New Year as COVID-19 spread rapidly across America, sickening and killing people of all ages. This is not the place to recount the grim history. But Sarah Stevenson found herself entering a devastating year in a weakened condition. As family and friends looked in on her or employed helpers for her, Ms. Stevenson mostly stayed at home off Beatties ...

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A look back on occasion of a 90th birthday

Posted on October 24, 2015June 30, 2021 by sjohncltaol

Oct. 24, 2015

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Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration, 1982

Posted on January 15, 1982January 20, 2022 by sjohncltaol

Jan. 15, 1982 One of the key turns in an ever-changing Charlotte celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day occurred on this day in 1982. And one of the architects of that turn took time out in 2022 to piece together a retrospective of the 1982 MLK Day Observance. Ken Koontz used clippings, photos and his own reflections in the material below. He was emcee of an evening event at the Charlotte...

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Sarah Stevenson has been in the center of things for decades. Her life has left its mark on her extended family, her children, and the communities she has served. No one collection can tell the whole story.

This collection began when Sarah Stevenson began tidying up the house where she has lived for decades. She's collected a few mementos; some would say the home is stuffed to the gills with mementos of her life of service to Charlotte.

Some of those mementos will be catalogued here. Her recollections of events, prompted by looking again at the mementos, will eventually accompany the pictures, citations, articles and other memorabilia.

Sarah's son Tom said his mother has never forgotten where anything is in her house. But we shall all cut her a bit of slack: Remembering everything from nine decades of an eventful life is a tall order. Even for Sarah Stevenson.

A chronological index will help organize the materials. But most of the original materials that Sarah Stevenson kept do not carry any annotations of date. The dates chosen may be an approximation, and are subject to revision. Where an exact date was unavailable, materials will be filed under four dates for each year: Jan. 1, April 1, July 1 and Oct. 1. Chronological, name and subject indexes are available from the top right of each page. The subjects are:

Family: Sarah Mingo Stevenson’s roots in Kershaw County, S.C., and material related to her extended family.

Church: Materials from a lifelong devotion to the work of the Lutheran church.

Work: Stevenson’s early employment, and career in mediation for the City of Charlotteimmediate family, education and early employment.

CMS: Her service on the PTA and, later, on the school board from 1980-1988.

Community: Materials from a lifetime of work for community groups, business development clubs, social clubs and the like.

Tuesday Morning Breakfast Forum: Co-founder of this group founded in 1980, Stevenson set the civil tone for its discussion of divisive public issues. The group changed its name in 2022 to Sarah Stevenson Tuesday Forum in her honor.

Sarah & Samuel Stevenson Scholarship Fund: Fundraisers have helped create scholarship support for Johnson C. Smith University students.

South African Students Scholarships: Stevenson met some young people in South Africa in 2012, and promised that she would help get them to college in the U.S.

Growing the Dream Awards: Stevenson was an early advocate for these MLK Day luncheons.

Accolades: Beginning before her school board service and continuing for the rest of her life, community groups celebrated her public service.