Rudean Harris didn’t learn how to smile until she was a teenager. 
After the death of Rudean’s mother, her father moved she and her siblings to Charlotte where, her extended family could help raise them. Fighting through poverty and bigotry, the family stayed together, but there was little to smile about.
But, through the kindness of those in her community, Ms. Harris learned to smile. She opened a restaurant in her mid-teens. And, for 60 years, she opened her doors, her heart and – often – her kitchen to show love to those who walked in the doors of “Rudean’s” morning, noon and late night. 
This is the first episode of “The World Should Know …” a special podcast series developed by Charlotte Is Creative in partnership with Tom Hanchett and Winston Robinson and sponsored by the North Carolina Humanities Council.
This series was created to help keep stories of Charlotte’s past alive, stories of neighborhoods and neighbors that have been foundational to our past, but are in danger of being lost to time in our future. 
Enjoy the conversation. Remember the story. Share it with someone else.

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