Board of Trustees approves removing “Daniels Hall” name

Dear NC State community,

On the morning of June 22, the NC State University Board of Trustees approved removing the name “Daniels Hall” from the campus building that was named for Josephus Daniels in 1938. A building named in Daniels’ honor is in complete opposition to the values of NC State.

The building was originally named after Daniels because of his support for NC State’s engineering program and particularly electrical engineering, which was housed in Daniels Hall for many years. However, Josephus Daniels had strong ties to white supremacy and played a leading role in the 1898 Wilmington coup, also known as the Wilmington massacre. The building’s name had served as a constant reminder of a shameful part of our state’s history.

I appreciate the board’s support in moving this university forward and taking this important action today.

We will not immediately rename the building. NC State’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has moved, and other engineering programs are now moving to Centennial Campus, leaving much of the current building unoccupied.

The building needs extensive renovations before other departments or units can move into the space, and we don’t currently have funds for this renovation or permanent plans in place for programs to be housed in the building once renovation is complete. We will defer selecting a new name for the building until after renovations are complete and we understand how the space will be used.

Today’s decision by the board is an important step forward for our campus and our community. However, there is much more that needs to be done at NC State to cultivate a campus environment where all Black students, faculty and staff feel safe, supported, respected and valued.

I remain dedicated to that goal, and I appreciate your support as we create a culture that always embraces, values and advances a diverse, inclusive and supportive campus for all.

Randy Woodson
Chancellor