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As part of an antiracism initiative, Meredith College in North Carolina will officially rename a building that honors “an advocate for white supremacy and unequal funding for schools based on race,” according to an announcement from the college.
Joyner Hall, an academic building on the Raleigh campus, is named for longtime trustee James Yadkin Joyner, whose “racist ideas … are antithetical to Meredith College’s mission, vision, and values,” the announcement said.
“The ongoing impact of Joyner’s role as an enthusiastic advocate for white supremacy and his role in differential funding for black versus white schools carries generational and lasting harm to BIPOC students … Therefore, part of our work is to recognize and account for that damage by ensuring our students and employees have equitable support and treatment from every aspect of the College.”
The Meredith Board of Trustees, which has the sole authority to make such decisions, voted on the name change at its March meeting. In a letter to the Meredith community, board chair Yvette Brown and college president Jo Allen noted that the building would temporarily be known as Lux Hall—“Lux” means “light” and is the college’s motto—until the trustees settle on a new name in the coming months.
They acknowledged that not everyone would be happy with the board’s decision. Nevertheless, “the ongoing harm done by Joyner’s initiative makes it untenable to continue to honor him—especially as an educator,” they wrote. “We understand the topics and decisions covered in this announcement may evoke strong emotions and reactions and encourage you to use your Meredith support systems as you process this information.”
