The sign discusses Hurston and her time at the University, as well as explaining how the building used to be named Saunders Hall after William Saunders, a leader of the North Carolina Ku Klux Klan.
“We honor and remember all the African American students who studied at UNC unofficially before our University’s integration. Zora Neale Hurston was one of these students,” the sign says.
“Against all odds, and despite a system that did everything in its power to keep her from attending college, she went on to become one of America’s most celebrated authors.”
The University does not know who placed the sign on the building, but they will be removing it.
“The sign is being removed because it’s in violation of our Facilities Use policy that prohibits any sign to be posted or hung on the outside of buildings or other campus-facing surfaces without University approval,” Allison Reid, executive director for communications and marketing in the UNC Division of Finance and Administration, said in an email.
Reid said she did not know when the sign would be removed.
Altha Cravey, a geography professor who works in Carolina Hall, said she was thrilled when she heard about the sign.
“Today I was just walking on air when I — late in the day, when I saw on social media the new plaque. And I ran downstairs to see if it was really there, and I saw that it was really there. And I was so excited,” Cravey said.
