On Friday, March 24, Board of Trustees Chair Dr. Yvette Brown, ’90, and President Jo Allen, ’80, announced in an email to the Meredith Community that Carroll Hall will be renamed the Student Health and Wellness Center. This is the third announcement regarding renaming buildings on campus.
The decision was made as part of the College’s ongoing Campuswide Anti-Racism Initiatve that aims to “understand, acknowledge, and confront the realities of [Meredith’s] history.”
The building was originally named after Dr. Delia Dixon-Carroll, Meredith’s first campus physician. She worked at the College for 35 years, most notably keeping cases and exposures low during the 1918 influenza pandemic.
Outside of her work at Meredith, Dr. Dixon-Carroll was known as a progressive reformer and suffragist. However, she believed that voting rights should only be extended to white women. Dr. Dixon-Carroll’s brother, Thomas Dixon Jr., was the author of “The Clansman,” the pro-Confederacy novel that was later adapted into the screenplay “The Birth of a Nation.”
The statement explained that the change “acknowledges that Delia Dixon Carroll…engaged in racist and harmful practices that outweighed her contributions to the College.”
Dr. Brown and President Allen acknowledged that not everyone would agree with the change, encouraging people to utilize the campus resources as they process the decision.
“Unearthing and addressing our history is an ongoing process that requires thoroughness of research and fact-checking,” they explained. “The Board continues this work and will provide further updates as decisions are made.”
Previous renaming statements have included Lux Hall and the decision not to rename the College.
Signage of the new building will be updated in the coming months.
The full statement is listed below:
This message is being sent on behalf of Meredith College Board Chair Yvette Brown, ’90, and President Jo Allen, ’80.
Dear Meredith Community,
As part of the Campuswide Anti-Racism Initiative launched in the summer of 2020, the Meredith College Board of Trustees has been engaged in a thorough and thoughtful review of building names. The goal of this process is to understand, acknowledge, and confront the realities of our history.
As previously announced, this process resulted in a permanent name change to one of our academic buildings and a reaffirmation of the Meredith College name.
Today, we announce another decision in this ongoing process. As part of its regularly scheduled March 2023 meeting, the Board of Trustees voted to remove the name Carroll Hall.
The decision acknowledges that Delia Dixon Carroll, the former staff member for whom the building is named, engaged in racist and harmful practices that outweighed her contributions to the College.
The building will be referred to as the Student Health and Wellness Center. The signage will be updated in the coming months.
We know some may disagree with the Board’s decision. We also understand the decision outlined in this announcement may evoke strong emotions. We encourage you to use your Meredith support systems over the coming days as you process this decision. These support systems include the Counseling Center and the dean of students, DEI Coordinator, the Chaplain, and the HR office.
Unearthing and addressing our history is an ongoing process that requires thoroughness of research and fact-checking. The Board continues this work and will provide further updates as decisions are made.
Thank you for your ongoing support of Meredith College.
Sincerely,
Dr. Yvette Brown, ’90, Chair, Meredith College Board of Trustees
Dr. Jo Allen, ’80, Meredith College President
By Aminah Jenkins, Editor in Chief