A crowd gathered on a warm afternoon this week at the steps of Carrboro Town Hall.

They were there for the unveiling ceremony of a new historical marker next to the building’s main entrance. The Truth Plaque includes the early history of Carrboro around the turn of the 20th century and talks about the town’s namesake, Julian S. Carr, noting Carr’s ties to racial segregation.

Rani Dasi, a member of the task force behind the plaque and a local school board member, read the plaque aloud at the ceremony.

“Although the town continues to bear his name, the values and actions of Carr do not represent Carrboro today.”

The plaque also touches on the work of residents on issues of social justice in more recent decades.

“Thanks to their commitment, today Carrboro honors its working-class roots while reaching towards the goals of social equity, environmental harmony and fiscal responsibility.”

Carrboro Aldermen Jacquie Gist spoke, as well. She said the committee behind the Truth Plaque came together following the 2017 White Nationalist rally in Charlottesville. Though Carrboro is not perfect, she said, “we are dedicated to each other, and that’s why the truth is important.”

“Will we ever get it perfect? I don’t think so. But we won’t get anywhere near there if we don’t keep working,” Gist said. “So, this is an important thing to do; it’s a symbolic thing to do, but it certainly isn’t the only thing to do.”

Gist said she was looking forward to working with the Truth Plaque task force on future projects.

Next, they will turn their attention to the Freedman’s School and Hackney school on East Main Street near Merritt Mill Road.

Related Stories
‹
Grata Diner In Carrboro Closes, Shifts Focus To Nonprofit Work
Grata Diner, a Carrboro restaurant featuring breakfast fare, closed on Sunday, Jan. 4. Now the owner will focus on his nonprofit.
Inclusive Employer Extraordinary Ventures to Take Over CommunityWorx's Thrift Shop
Extraordinary Ventures, a nonprofit that provides jobs to adults with disabilities, will add the Carrboro thrift shop to its operations.
CommunityWorx Ending Thrift Shop Operations, Transitioning Carrboro Space to Different Nonprofit
The thrift shop run by CommunityWorx is ending its 72-year run of operations this week and is transitioning the space to a different group.
Top Stories of 2025: In Orange County, An Anticlimactic Election
The municipal election was always going to be one of the top stories of 2025 in Chapel Hill - though this year's race was unusually quiet.
Local Scholar Amanda Bennett Named Town of Carrboro's 9th Poet Laureate
The Town of Carrboro has selected Amanda Bennett to be its ninth poet laureate. Described as “a poet, cultural critic, and public humanities practitioner,” in a release, Bennett will be the first Black woman to serve as the town’s poet laureate. Bennett is a scholar of Black feminism and is the author of “Working the […]
Orange County Communities to Interrupt Services for December Holidays (2025)
Communities around Orange County will interrupt their normal service schedules during the upcoming winter holidays. Here’s what customers can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Town of Chapel Hill government offices will be closed from Wednesday, Dec. 24 through Friday, Dec. 26. Residential trash collection will not be affected. Yard trimmings will not be collected on […]
Top Stories of 2025: Flash Flooding From Tropical Storm Chantal Damages Region, Changes Lives
Perhaps no singular event influenced the Orange County community's experience in 2025 more than Tropical Storm Chantal's floods in July.
'So Much Fun': Community's First 'Cardboard War' Brings Out Creativity and Whimsy
The Carrboro Town Commons was the site of a "cardboard war" on Saturday, which was created to spur whimsy and creativity among the community.
Arts in Uncertain Times - Dec. 12, 2025
The Hill's Andrew Stuckey speaks with North Carolina Poet Laureate Jakie Shelton Green, Carrboro Town Council Member Fred Joiner, and Executive Director of Orange County Arts Katie Murray on Friday, December 12. They discuss the challenges facing the arts community both generally and locally. They also discuss the role of arts in times of political division. They discuss the economic, social, and personal impact of having art in non-traditional spaces. They look ahead to 2026, and more.
Checking the Area Housing Inventory - Dec. 11, 2025
The Hill's Andrew Stuckey speaks with Vice President of Advocacy for the Chamber For a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro Ian Scott, Policy Director for Carolina Forward and Chapel Hill Town Council Member Theodore Nollert, and President of the Orange and Chatham County Association of Realters Randy Voller. They discussed the current housing inventory in the Chapel Hill area, including how much and what type of housing is still missing, and what tools the community has to encourage more housing. They also discussed what they hope to see different in the area's housing market in 2026, and more.
›