CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Just over 65 years after a walk that changed the fabric of Charlotte during the civil rights era, icon Dorothy Counts-Scoggins returned to her old stomping grounds.
In 1957, Counts-Scoggins helped to integrate Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The 15-year-old faced a crowd of hecklers as she walked into what was then known as Harding High.
Thursday, a painting was delivered to the location where she took those famous steps all those years ago, a mark of her legacy.
The school, now Irwin Academic Center in Uptown Charlotte, still has many markings reminding those that go to school there of the battle to integrate Charlotte schools. The painting, which will ultimately stay with Counts-Scoggins, is a symbol of the impact she had.
Artist Joey Withinarts, who has done paintings of celebrities and created art during Chadwick Boseman's memorial, was in the middle of his living room when the inspiration came.
“I was watching a documentary about James Baldwin, and he mentioned her name," Withinarts said. "I had to do some research on her."
Thursday was a reconciling moment for Counts-Scoggins as she came back to the place where on Sept. 4, 1957, she was harassed, spit on, and called slurs.
"Over these past 66 years, I’ve watched what’s happened," Counts-Scoggins said. "The change that four teenagers set out to see has now gone back to where it was.”
She returned to that moment and reflected on what it means to her all these years later.
“The experience I had at Harding, it changed my life," Counts-Scoggins said. "I figured out what I wanted to do with my life, which was to be an advocate for those who had no voice.”
She told WCNC Charlotte she will continue to fight for the next generation as long as she can.
“If you want to see changes take place, we have to do it together,” Counts-Scoggins said.
Contact Colin Mayfield at cmayfield@wcnc.com or follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.