Jonesville African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Shooting in Charlotte

Today is the 8 year anniversary of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina.

Few people remember that years ago this same sort of hate played out in Charlotte.

The date was September 5, 1977.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 5 (AP)—A white 17‐year‐old sniper wearing swastika armband opened fire on a mostly black crowd at a church picnic today, killing a man and injuring at least three other persons before killing himself, the police said.

Mecklenburg County police officers say witnesses had told them that the youth drove up to the annual picnic sponsored by the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Jonesville, about eight miles south of here.

He left the car carrying an M‐1 carbine, the police said, and stood at the edge of a road, about 75 yards from where about 200 people were watching a baseball game. The witnesses said that he aimed and fatally shot the pitcher, then began firing into the crowd.

“I heard something like firecrackers going off and I saw my buddy fall,” said Sylvester Gatewood, who was playing first base.A 74‐year‐old woman, who was watching the game from a car when a bullet struck the windshield, said, “I knew the Lord was right on my side or that madman would have killed me, too.”

After about 12 shots, the witnesses said, the youth shot himself in the neck and fell dead in the road. They said that he wore khaki pants and a military‐style camouflage shirt with a red armband bearing a black swastika in a white circle. The police were withholding the youth's name until his family could be notified.

The dead victim was identified as Roosevelt Davis. He was pronounced dead at Presbyterian Hospital with gunshot wounds in the back and chest.

The wounded were identified‐as Joanne Terry, 28, who was reported in critical condition with wounds of the abdomen; Larry Smith, 15, who was treated for a gunshot wound in the leg and discharged, and Joseph Walker, 29, who was was treated for a gunshot wound in the right foot and discharged.

Today the church and ballfield are gone, replaced by a 3 story 125,000 square foot mini storage warehouse. But the cemetery remains and there the graves of some of Mecklenburg County's early Black residents. 

Many of the graves are unmarked "Known Unto God" and the reasons are just as many. 

Roosevelt Davis, 29, tractor-trailer truck driver, part time baseball player and the father of 2 children, died on Labor Day, while participating in a softball game at a family picnic near Jonesville African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charlotte. He was shot. He was born in Chester S.C., where he was a star basketball player. He moved to Charlotte in the mid 1960's where he met his wife, Sylvia.

Members of the Charlotte Mets and Charlotte Hawks baseball teams served as honorary pallbearers.

Source: The Charlotte Post, Sept. 8, 1977, Pg. 6

Cedar's take: This history like the church is nearly gone, only the AP New York Times story comes up on a google search. The cemetery forgotten as well. But it is still there part of the mini storage property. A small reminder of what was once rural Black America. 

The shooter unnamed has been forgotten as well and as it shoulCd be but the news of that day is still haunting. A church softball game on Labor Day. 

Additional Resources:

Listing of known graves is here.

Address: 5527 Providence Road West (Ballantyne Commons Parkway)

Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, NC 28277