John Schenck (1823-1894)

Portrait by Kalin Davone, 2021

Born an enslaved man in Cleveland County, John Schenck rose to become one of the most powerful civic leaders in 19th century Charlotte.

Details surrounding Schenck's early life are scant, but we know that he learned to read at an early age and, thanks to his skills as a carpenter, eventually earned enough money to purchase his freedom along with that of his wife. Following freedom, Schenck became a laborer for the Confederacy before deserting to join the Union and Stoneman's cavalry. There, he marched through the South and helped destroy supply lines, push back Confederate battlefronts, and generally decimate the Confederate line. Following the war, Schenck and his wife returned to Charlotte.

What followed was a life of public service and the rise of personal influence and power. From 1867 until his death in 1894, Schenck served four terms on the city's Board of Alderman, was appointed the first Black police officer, became a prominent saloon owner, campaigned for equal rights and against prohibition, and was elected chairman of the Mecklenburg County Republican Executive Committee.