A former North Carolina Supreme Court Justice will no longer be honored as the namesake of a downtown Hillsborough street.

The town’s Board of Commissioners unanimously voted on Monday to approve a petition from Thomas Ruffin Street residents to change its name. All 12 households on the town-owned road had voiced their desire for a new street name that better reflects community values, with their efforts culminating in a public hearing and town board vote.

Initially, the residents planned to request the name be changed to Hope Lane. On Monday, however, several spoke about their desire to change it to Lydia Lane in honor of an enslaved woman at the center of a state Supreme Court case Ruffin ruled over in 1829. North Carolina v. Mann is known for Ruffin’s decision to not criminally punish slave masters for any battery committed on their slaves. Lydia is the name of the slave who was shot and injured by the defendant in the case, John Mann, as she attempted to run from punishment.

Residents spoke in support of this new name, saying the change would still acknowledge the history and impact of Ruffin’s decision while honoring someone different.

Hillsborough Commissioner Kathleen Ferguson, who made the motion to approve the residents’ request, said she believed this new name best reflects the duality of history and Ruffin’s impact on the state.

“Thomas Ruffin was a complicated character and was not all bad,” said Ferguson. “What they have chosen, in my opinion, supports our greater community goals of inclusivity and [is] still respectful of history.”

Ruffin was a Hillsborough resident and is buried in the town at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church Cemetery. In addition to his court rulings that disenfranchised Black people, historical accounts detail his life as a slave owner and slave trader. In recent years, the Orange County Courthouse, UNC and the North Carolina Supreme Court have all moved to remove elements honoring Ruffin due to his history.

Part of the Hillsborough board’s approval includes a 60-day delay on changing the road from Thomas Ruffin Street to give staff time to order new signage and go through address changes before officially moving to using Lydia Lane.

The full Hillsborough Board of Commissioners meeting can be found on the town’s YouTube channel.

 

Photo via Tammy Grubb/News & Observer.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

 

Related Stories
‹
Hillsborough Residents Working to Change Name of Thomas Ruffin Street
Some Hillsborough residents are petitioning for a town street name to be changed from honoring a state Supreme Court justice with ties to white supremacy. The namesake for Thomas Ruffin Street, which runs through a neighborhood off North Cameron Street, has many ties to the area. Ruffin practiced law in Hillsborough and served as a […]
Here Are the Orange County Local Governments’ Approved Budgets, Tax Rates for 2026-27
The final totals and changes for Orange County governments' budgets are being finalized. Here are the details of each approved so far.
Hillsborough: Budget and Data Centers
Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, June 2nd, discussing their most recent meeting. He discussed conversations surrounding the budget, its effects, future projections and the thought process behind recent changes. Additionally they covered the continuing conversation of data centers in Hillsborough.
2025 Candidate Introductions: Hillsborough Municipal Races
This year's local election cycle in Hillsborough is defined by continuity — as no challenger candidates filed to run against the incumbents.
Hillsborough Adopts Parking Study to Help Optimize Existing Town Parking Options
The Town of Hillsborough recently adopted a parking study assessing its parking supply and demand across downtown and West Hillsborough.
First Black Hillsborough Mayor Horace Johnson Dies at 95
Horace Johnson, a longtime elected official who became the first Black mayor of the Town of Hillsborough, died Thursday. He was 95 years old.
Hillsborough Passes Ordinance to Curb Feeding Wildlife – Including Vultures
The Town of Hillsborough now prohibits feeding or attracting most wildlife within town limits, updating its ordinance in an attempt to curb the nuisances or safety risks brought by certain species. The Hillsborough Board of Commissioners unanimously passed an addition to its Regulation and Control of Animals ordinance on the consent agenda during its Feb. […]
Hillsborough: UDO Discussions, Riverwalk Anniversary, and Occaneechi Recognition
Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell joins 97.9 The Hill News Director Brighton McConnell for an interview on Tuesday, Oct. 15. Coming off the heels of a town board meeting, Bell recaps some of the commissioners’ discussions — including Hillsborough’s Unified Development Ordinance and some proposed changes to its text. With the anniversary of the Riverwalk on […]
Hillsborough Commissioners Voice Support for New Greenway Design, Cost Options
The Hillsborough Board of Commissioners recently gave feedback and advanced a potential design for a new north-south greenway: the Ridgewalk.
Hillsborough Commissioners Approve Water-Sewer Boundary Extension for Chapel Hill
Hillsborough became the latest local government to pass a resolution in support of extending a water and sewer boundary south of Chapel Hill.
›