CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Grier Heights -- one of Charlotte’s oldest neighborhoods that dates back to the 1890s -- held a special tribute Wednesday for the man whose family made the neighborhood a reality.
The community celebrated with a parade to honor Arthur Eugene “Gene” Grier Jr. It started at his home on Monroe Road and ended at Grier Heights Presbyterian Church.
The man most people knew as “Gene” passed away last week. The historic Grier Heights neighborhood is named after his family.
Their family home is still an icon along Monroe Road, and they served the community with their mortuary business.
Eyewitness News anchor Erica Bryant spoke with one of Grier’s sons about how their family contributed land to Grier Heights, where many people live today.
“That area was developed in the 1920s and my great-grandfather had that land and he wanted to develop some homes,” Allen Grier said. “One hundred homes for GI’s coming back from the war and he wanted to have black families have ownership, and that is how the neighborhood started and that is where my dad was living right there on Monroe Road.”
“My father was a resident,” said Marvin Price, Grier Heights native. “He was one of the first ones to buy a house out in this community.”
The soldiers faced one of the greatest threats to freedom and came home to a country that still didn’t recognize Black people as full citizens.
“But Grier Heights, they still had all the love in the world right here in this community,” Price said. “Love is there.”
Price said it was more than a home where he grew up friends with Gene Grier.
“It was nothing like it,” Price said.
Gene Grier considered everyone in the community his friend.
“Money didn’t mean anything to him as long as he had his family, the community and just the people,” Allen Grier said. “He just loved to support the people.”
His sons said Gene Grier often paid for funeral home services that indigent grieving families couldn’t afford.
Some of the homes have been sold lately.
It’s no longer an exclusively Black community, but it’s still special to those who remember the family who helped build hope for those with few options.
Price said his daughter still lives on that property his father owned.
Arthur Eugene Grier’s visitation is Thursday at A. E. Grier & Sons Chapel, the funeral service he once operated.
His memorial service is 2 p.m. Friday at the Victory Christian Center.
Cox Media Group
