The legacy of John and Mary Myers is inclusive of Cherry and Morgan School. In 1891, Mr. and Mrs. Myers began laying the foundation for a part of their legacy by platting Cherry as the first community in Charlotte established distinctly to provide homeownership opportunities for the Black working class. Then in 1917, they continued laying that foundation of their legacy, by donating land, through a Deed with restrictive covenants, for the sole purpose of a school in Cherry for people of color. The school’s construction was completed in 1925, and then in 1926, children in Cherry immediately began to fill the school to its capacity. Morgan School was where children in Cherry were educated by Black teachers and school leaders when segregation, racism, and discrimination in Charlotte prevented them from going anywhere else. Morgan School was built for and belonged to Cherry.

We have a responsibility to honor the legacy of Mr. and Mrs. Myers.  We need look no further than the 1917 Deed to understand the wishes of the benefactors– for the benefit of Cherry in perpetuity. There is no sunset clause within the Deed of 1917, nor any amendments addressing the matter in subsequent Deeds in 1932, 1950, or 1953. Mr. and Mrs. Myers spoke clearly — Morgan school was built for Cherry.

In many respects, Morgan School, is a birthright for those who called Cherry home and cloaked themselves in the culture of a community that some considered to be second class, simply because of the skin color of Cherry’s residents. If we are to honor the legacy of the Myers’ family, then we must recognize that Morgan School is a part of Cherry’s history, not anyone else’s.  

We honor the legacy of John and Mary Myers by reminding those in leadership that you can’t erase the culture of a people who have lived on the land in Cherry for four, five, and, in some instances, even six generations.  Cherry protected us and Morgan School helped us to develop a healthy sense of who we were and how important we were to this community, city, and country.

For Morgan School and Cherry, there is a unique opportunity before us. There is an opportunity for us to restore and preserve the school, in perpetuity, and for it to move one step closer to becoming one of only a few schools in Mecklenburg County to be listed on the prestigious National Register of Historic Places.  In May 1993, Morgan School was officially designated as a local historic landmark by the Charlotte City Council and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission. Then, in 2001, Morgan School was placed on the NC Study List, successfully taking the first step towards National Register Listing. We have embarked upon the next step, which entails working with historic preservationists to determine if Morgan School still retains eligibility as a candidate for individual-listing on the National Register of Historic Places and, if so, completing and submitting the application for this distinguished federal recognition.  Further, the historic preservationists are in the process of determining other structures within Cherry that are eligible for inclusion on the application, with the hope of identifying a larger Historic District in Cherry that will also appear on the National Register.

It is anticipated that, as part of a greater narrative, Morgan School (1925) will be highlighted alongside the Cherry Neighborhood Park (1927), Myers Tabernacle AME Zion Church (1920), several bungalow homes reflecting earlier architecture (1910-1912), and neighborhood stores (1930), to tell a more complete story of Cherry, where its people lived, worked, learned, shopped, worshipped, and played, all within the safe boundaries of the community.  In many respects, it was then what recently-adopted City Plans strive for today–easily accessible and walkable neighborhoods.

Yes, Morgan School has seen it all and is waiting to resume its rightful place. It is waiting to be used in the best way that it can serve. Something spectacular is happening here and it is the history and culture of a people within an exceptional community called Cherry.  Our never ending covenant is to fight against the erasing of our history and culture that has been generationally fought for and continues to be fought for, just as it was for the Myers’ family to begin the tremendous feat in 1891.  The community, the city, the world is waiting for us to resume sharing this “soul of a culture story” that lives within Morgan School and the community of Cherry. Why not join us along this journey: “Stand with Cherry as we Preserve Morgan4Cherry.”

For more than 50 years, the Cherry Community has made efforts to “Reclaim Morgan School for Cherry.”

At long last, we are seeing that vision realized.

The Cherry Community Organization is pleased to announce that we are in negotiations with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Mecklenburg County, community stakeholders and preservation entities. We intend to preserve and protect the Morgan School in perpetuity, while providing community-based programming which will serve the needs of Cherry and the Greater Charlotte community.