The physical transformation of Saunders Hall to Carolina Hall is complete.

The sound of hammers pounding in the new lettering over the side entrances of what is now officially “Carolina Hall” permeated through the morning air on UNC’s campus, on Thursday, that was otherwise filled with chirping birds and the occasional passing group on an orientation tour.

Carolina Hall lettering over side entrance

Carolina Hall lettering over side entrance

The UNC Board of Trustees voted in May to rename Saunders Hall.

The namesake of the building that houses geography and religious studies was originally William L. Saunders, who served as Secretary of State in North Carolina. He is credited with the accumulation of public records following the Civil War. Saunders was also credited as the leader of the Ku Klux Klan in North Carolina when the Board of Trustees chose to name the building after him in 1920.

Student activists called for the name to be changed, with a large contingency urging the board to name the building Hurston Hall – in honor of author Zora Neale Hurston, who they say took classes at UNC while it was illegal due to segregation laws.

University officials allowed students, and anyone else associated with the university, to submit new name suggestions for the building.

Carolina Hall sidewalk signage was changed almost immediately following BOT name-change decision

Carolina Hall sidewalk signage was changed almost immediately following BOT name-change decision

Carolina Hall was not one of the submissions, according to UNC spokesperson Michael John.

“There were a number of names submitted. I think that’s probably the most important part of this discussion,” he says. “In working to come up with a solution that brought everything together, rather than picking one individual or one name, Carolina Hall – a summary name and an umbrella name that represents us – was considered to be the best choice.”

Some in the building, including Geography Professor Altha Cravey, took renaming Saunders Hall into their own hands, putting up makeshift “Hurston Hall” signs in the windows of the building.

Hurston Hall signage in windows of Carolina Hall

Hurston Hall signage in windows of Carolina Hall

Police came to Cravey’s office last week, saying she needed to remove the signage because it was against school policy. She refused and officials have now said a new policy is being written to ensure this situation does not happen again.

“What is a public institution of higher education if it isn’t about diversity, inclusion, and discussion? We celebrate the discussion,” John says. “But, yes, there is going to be review of policy so we can take a look at what can and can’t be posted and where.”

UNC Faculty Chair Bruce Cairns spoke with WCHL’s Blake Hodge about the incident last week and what the university is doing going forward. Listen below:

 

The lettering above the side entrances was completely replaced on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a bucket truck from a custom sign company placed a cap over the large engraved limestone piece that read Saunders Hall to reflect the name change. Cost of the project is placed at an estimated $12,500 for the work completed on Thursday.

Workers place new "Carolina Hall" cap over "Saunders Hall" limestone

Workers place new “Carolina Hall” cap over “Saunders Hall” limestone

A permanent solution will be reviewed the next time that Carolina Hall is considered for renovation, which could be several years.

Officials say they wanted a temporary resolution in place before classes start for the new academic year. The first wave of students arrives on Friday and classes at UNC begin next Tuesday.

When the Board of Trustees voted to change the name of Saunders Hall, they also enacted a 16-year freeze on renaming buildings and monuments to allow a curation and education effort to take effect.