The Charlotte Gem Awards
Celebrate the Power of Preservation at the Charlotte Gem Awards, the premiere fundraising event for the Charlotte Museum of History. These awards celebrate restoration and building projects in the greater Charlotte region that exemplify the best of historic preservation. By shining a light on successful preservation projects that enrich our communities culturally and economically, the awards encourage everyone who calls Charlotte 'home' to save our historic built environment.
We have a new category this year! The Education category of the Charlotte Gem Awards honors exceptional contributions to the study, teaching, and sharing of history in the greater Charlotte region. These awards recognize individuals and projects that demonstrate excellence in historical education through research, innovation, and engagement. Whether in a classroom, on a college campus, or through informal and community-based learning, recipients help foster a deeper understanding of our shared past.
The 2026 Charlotte Gem Awards will take place on Thursday, May 14th, 2026. We hope to see you there!
The Charlotte Gem Award
This year during the awards ceremony we will also be honoring an individual - a "Charlotte Gem" - someone who actively works to make Charlotte and the Piedmont Region a better place to live through advocacy, volunteerism, and general support for our community. This special award is selected by the Charlotte Museum of History Board of Trustees.
Charlotte Gem Award Winner
Dorothy Counts-Scoggins
After her experience with the desegregation of schools in Charlotte, NC, she chose a life to ensure that all children would receive a quality education regardless of their race, religion and culture.