About the Commission

About

The University Commission on History, Race, and a Way Forward was formed in 2019 and formally charged by the Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz in February of 2020 to explore, engage and teach the University’s history with race, and provide recommendations to the Chancellor on how we as a University community must reckon with the past.

Commission members

  • Jim Leloudis (co-chair), Professor of History; Peter T. Grauer Associate Dean for Honors Carolina; Director, Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence
  • Patricia Parker (co-chair), Professor of Communication; Ruel W. Tyson Distinguished professor and Director, Institute for the Arts and Humanities.
  • Delores Bailey, Executive Director, EmPOWERment Inc.; and Chapel Hill community member
  • Jada Brooks,Associate Professor of Nursing and Carol Morde Ross Distinguished Term Scholar of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing
  • LeRhonda Manigault-Bryant, Director of the Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture, Professor of African, African American, and Diaspora Studies
  • Marissa Carmi, PhD Candidate in American Indian Studies and Associate Director of the American Indian Center
  • Jules Dixon, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Curriculum, Professor of Practice, Hussman School of Journalism and Media
  • Simona Goldin, Research Associate Professor, Public Policy
  • Nicholas Graham, University Archivist, University Archives and Records Management Services, University Libraries
  • Danielle Hiraldo, Director, American Indian Center
  • Antwain Hunter, Assistant Professor of History
  • Courtney Jones, Undergraduate Student
  • Blair Kelly, Joel R. Williamson Distinguished Professor of Southern Studies , Director of the Center for the Study of the American South
  • Cloe Liparini, Director of Education, Community Engagement and Belonging
  • Danita Mason-Hogans, Project Coordinator, Critical Oral Histories, Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University; and Chapel Hill community member
  • Joann Obioma, Undergraduate Student, President of the Black Student Movement
  • Josmell Pérez, Director, The Carolina Latinx Center
  • Tahliyah Smalls, Undergraduate Student, President of the Residence Hall Association

Past Commission Members

  • Ariana Ávila (served from 2020-2021), PhD Candidate, Department of Anthropology
  • Larry Chavis, Clinical Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Kenan-Flagler Business School
  • Giselle Corbie, Kenan Distinguished Professor of Social Medicine; Director, Center for Health Equity Research; Professor, Internal Medicine, UNC School of Medicine
  • Ronald Harris, UNC Alum; Student, School of Medicine, Duke University
  • Amy Locklear Hertel (served from 2020-2022), Executive Vice Provost; Clinical Assistant Professor, UNC School of Social Work
  • Danita Horton (served from 2020-2022), Graduate Student, School of Social Work
  • Sherick Hughes (served from 2020-2021), Professor, UNC School of Education; Founder and Director, Interpretive Research Suite & Carter Qualitative Thought Lab; Founder and Co-Director, Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Studies
  • Kenneth Janken, Professor, African, African American, and Diaspora Studies
  • Dawna Jones, Director, Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture, Duke University
  • Joseph Jordan, Director, Sonja H. Stone Center for Black Culture and History; Adjunct Associate Professor, African, African American, and Diaspora Studies
  • Seth Kotch, Associate Professor, Department of American Studies; and Director, Southern Oral History Program
  • Sydni Janell Walker (served from 2020-2022), Undergraduate Student, Class of 2022
  • Graham Watkins (served from 2020-2022), Undergraduate Student, Class of 2022