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Celebrating Carolina's pioneers

Paving the way

When they stepped foot on campus, these pioneers were breaking down barriers for the generations of students and faculty members who followed. Their courageous examples moved Carolina closer to the ideal of the University of the People.

  • Karen Parker

    Five decades ago, Karen Parker made way for thousands of future Tar Heels when she became the first female African-American student to enroll at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

    Read more about Karen Parker
  • Henry Frye

    Henry Frye was the first African-American student to complete all three years of study at the UNC School of Law, graduating in 1959. He was later named the first African-American chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.

    Read more about Henry Frye
  • Hortense McClinton

    Hortense McClinton has seen changes in once unimaginable ways, from her appointment as the first African-American faculty member at Carolina during the turbulent 1960s to the election of the country’s first African-American president.

    Read more about Hortense McClinton

Examining our history

  • Old Well in the fall.

    Honoring our bridge builders

    Scholarships are named for those who helped fulfill Carolina’s mission as a public institution and whose leadership represents the values that define the University.

  • Inside of Carolina Hall.

    Telling the full story of Carolina’s history

    A new exhibit is the first example of the comprehensive approach to examine campus history called for by the Carolina Board of Trustees when they voted to rename Saunders Hall in 2015.

  • Five decades of striving for progress

    As the Black Student Movement enters its 50th year, student members continue to push the University forward and provide a voice for black issues to make Carolina inclusive for everybody.