GREENSBORO—UNCG will hold two public forums Tuesday regarding the renaming of the Aycock Auditorium.
The building was named in 1928 after Governor Charles B. Aycock who served from 1901 to 1905.
But it is the decisions the governor made while in office that have the university looking into a name change. University historians say the name was chosen during a time when it was a women’s college.
They say a group of alumni suggested names. They chose Governor Aycock, because he was recognized for his support of public education – especially women’s public education. But the historians say the governor was also known for disfranchising african american voters.
Other schools have already renamed buildings bearing his name, such as Duke University and East Carolina University.
“The things he did and the attitudes he held are not ones we'd honor people for today. It’s a question of whether or not we should rename a building that was named for such a person. Of course, that’s always a slippery slope, since there are other people that the same thing could be said about as well,” said Chuck Bolton, UNCG History Department Head.
People can submit feedback and learn more about the issue by visiting Aycock.UNCG.Edu.
There will be two public forums on Tuesday, one at 2 p.m. and the other at 6 p.m. at the Curry Building Auditorium. Bolton says they've gotten nearly 1,000 responses on the website of varying opinions. They will be accepting input on the website until March 31.