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Race & Demographics

Western Carolina Removes Name Of Segregationist NC Governor & Senator From Auditorium

BPR Classic | By Matt Bush
Published June 29, 2020 at 4:10 PM EDT
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Western Carolina University

Western Carolina University has removed the name of former North Carolina Governor and U.S. Senator Clyde Hoey from its auditorium on campus.  

Hoey served as governor from 1937 to 1941, and U.S. Senator from 1945 until his death in 1954.  The segregationist opposed civil rights legislation, and statehood for Hawaii because it "only contained a small percentage of white people."  He served in the U.S. House of Representatives and both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly prior to becoming governor.

After the school’s board of trustees voted Monday to remove his name from the auditorium, Western Carolina chancellor Dr. Kelli Brown said the decision was long overdue.  In a statement, Brown said the “values and views of the auditorium’s now former namesake do not correspond with the values and views of Western Carolina University.”  The auditorium was completed in 1939 and sits 450 people.  It is slated for eventual demolition as part of the university's long-range master plan.  

North Carolina Central University took Hoey's name off it's administration building last year.  Appalachian State University is also expected to rename a residence hall that bears Hoey's name.

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Race & DemographicsWestern CarolinaWestern Carolina UniversityClyde HoeyBPRAsheville
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Matt Bush
Matt Bush joined Blue Ridge Public Radio as news director in August 2016. Excited at the opportunity the build up the news service for both stations as well as help launch BPR News, Matt made the jump to Western North Carolina from Washington D.C. For the 8 years prior to coming to Asheville, he worked at the NPR member station in the nation's capital as a reporter and anchor. Matt primarily covered the state of Maryland, including 6 years of covering the statehouse in Annapolis. Prior to that, he worked at WMAL in Washington and Metro Networks in Pittsburgh, the city he was born and raised in.
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