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T H E I N D E P E N D E N T D A I LY AT D U K E U N I V E R S I T Y
MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2018 DUKECHRONICLE.COM
ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH YEAR, ISSUE 4
Bre Bradham | Contributing Photographer
Mary Lou Williams Center sign defaced with racial epithet
History Dept. files request to rename Carr Building Process for renaming buildings goes through Board of Trustees By Ben Leonard Managing Editor
‘N*****’ inserted into name of the Center for Black Culture two days before classes start “The Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture serves both as a home for our Black/African-American students and a testament to Duke’s enduring commitment to diversity and inclusion,” Moneta In an email to the Duke community Saturday afternoon, wrote. “We have no intention of letting any miscreants undermine President Vincent Price wrote that “someone scrawled a our determination to be a socially just campus.” heinous racial epithet” on a sign at the Mary Lou Williams Senior Kristina Smith, president of Duke Student Center for Black Culture earlier Saturday. Government, addressed the impact of the incident occurring at “Such a cowardly and hateful act has absolutely no place the beginning of the academic year. in our community,” Price wrote. “While we can’t undo or “This is a truly devastating way to start the year, unsee this painful assault on our right to live and study in particularly for Black students and especially for Black firsta civil and respectful environment, we can and do promise years,” Smith wrote to The Chronicle. “The administration, that odious acts like this will be along with students and student acknowledged and challenged at This is a truly devastating way groups, need to work incredibly hard every opportunity, especially at a to start the year, particularly for this next coming week and school year time when some seek deliberately to to ensure that all Black students feel Black students and especially for safe, comfortable, and welcome at this provoke hatred and distrust.” The incident comes two days before Black first-years. University.” the start of fall classes. The group People’s State of the Michael Schoenfeld, vice president University formed last semester when it kristina smith launched a protest at an alumni event for public affairs and government SENIOR, PRESIDENT OF DUKE STUDENT that Price was speaking at. One issue the relations, confirmed Saturday GOVERNMENT afternoon in an email that the slur used group has pushed for is a standardized was “n*****.” The slur was written on University policy on hate and bias the part of the wall where the word “Black” typically appears in incidents. Administrators announced in May they were the name “Center for Black Culture.” opening discussions on the topic. This incident is under investigation, Schoenfeld stated. “Classes haven’t even started yet and another instance of “I regret that my early words to you in this new semester are racist intimidation has shown itself on Duke’s campus once marked with sadness and anger,” Price wrote. “Let us use this again,” the group wrote in a Facebook post about Saturday’s moment to come together in support of our fellow students, incident. “How many more times do black students, faculty faculty or staff who are so maligned; let us not allow provocateurs and staff need to be targeted and threatened for administration to sow among us discord or malice; let us reaffirm and act upon to take action?” our commitments to inclusion, tolerance and respect. That is the At the end of the 2018 spring semester, a pair of raciallyDuke community we deserve and demand.” charged incidents occurred on campus. By 3:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon, a piece of blue paper had In April, the phrase “n***** lover” was written on the been taped over the epithet. The room the slur was written in is apartment door of a 300 Swift resident during the night. That a foyer in the Flowers Building that does not require card access incident occurred shortly after a student’s Snapchat that used to enter. Vending machines and couches are also in the room. a racial epithet came to light through the Duke Memes for The Student Affairs office oversees the Mary Lou Williams Gothicc Teens Facebook page. Center. In an email Saturday, Larry Moneta, vice president The Mary Lou Williams Center did not comment in time for student affairs, wrote that he did not have much to add to for publication. Price’s “powerful and timely statement.” Ben Leonard and Bre Bradham contributed reporting. By Staff Reports The Chronicle
Duke faces second retirement plan lawsuit
Where is the line? Asking for a friend.
The new suit alleges participated in self-dealing.
Alumna Amani Carson Duke administrators.
that
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The Carr Building on East Campus might look like the other Georgian-style red brick buildings around it, but there’s much more to the edifice than what meets the eye. Julian Carr, for whom the building was named in 1930, was a “virulent white supremacist” and former Confederate soldier who served on the Board of Trustees at Trinity College, which became Duke University when it merged with the Woman’s College in 1924. In 1913, the tobacco magnate spoke at the dedication of Silent Sam, the statue of a Confederate soldier that was toppled Aug. 20 at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He didn’t mince words. Carr boasted about “horsewhipp[ing] a negro wench until her skirts hung in shreds” because she “publicly insulted and maligned a Southern lady.” “I...then rushed for protection to these University buildings where was stationed a garrison of 100 Federal soldiers,” Carr continued. “I performed the pleasing duty in the immediate presence of the entire garrison, and for thirty nights afterwards slept with a double-barrel shot gun under my head.” Although he endorsed the Klu Klux Klan’s violent tactics and argued that black people should not be able to vote, Carr was also crucial in the development of what is now Duke’s East Campus. Carr donated Blackwell Park to Trinity College, which enabled it to move to Durham. The History Department has filed a request that Carr’s name be scrubbed from the Carr Building, where the department is housed, history department chair Dr. John Martin told The Chronicle. The department has proposed the building be named the Gavins Building in honor of Dr. Raymond Gavins, the first African American on Duke’s history faculty. Gavins died in 2016. “The department believes that the proposed change, which we have thoughtfully considered, is in keeping with the highest See CARR on Page 13
W. soccer offense comes alive
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Duke shuts out opponent game, beating Elon 3-0.
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