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Petition for Waiver, Forrest Hall, Middle Tennessee State University This official document records the petition submitted to the Tennessee Historical Commission concerning the proposed renaming of Forrest Hall. It outlines the procedural requirements of Tennessee’s Heritage Protection Act and documents the state’s role in decisions surrounding contested historical memorials.
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Midlander 1954 The Midlander, featuring the newly organized Nathan B. Forrest Club, an honorary club for outstanding junior ROTC members, founded under faculty advisor Captain Crawford Keith. The club is named for the Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest and uses his by-word as its motto. The page also shows the new ROTC building, which was scheduled to be completed in August 1954.
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Midlander 1955 he Midlander, featuring portraits of the ROTC Staff, including Major Crawford Keith, and a photograph and description of the new ROTC building, Nathan Bedford Forrest Memorial Hall, which was completed in 1954.
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Theme Of ROTC BalI Is Southern Lawn Party The Side-Lines student newspaper, covering the annual ROTC Ball. The 1961 event's theme was the "Confederate Centennial Lawn Party" , with music by the Glenn Miller Orchestra.
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Dedication of Forrest Hall Official opening of Nathan Bedford Forrest Hall, including its construction, dedication ceremony, and purpose as the new home of the Department of Military Science and Tactics. Contains Dean Keathley’s dedication remarks, statements about ROTC relocation from the Alumni Memorial Gymnasium, and military officers’ evaluations of the facility.
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Black history courses / ‘Get Hip Whitey Week’ An article discussing the significance of the first Black history course taught by a white professor, Bart McCash, at MTSU. It also features the Black Students Association's week-long event, "Get Hip Whitey Week," organized to promote interracial understanding.
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The Midlander (1956 Yearbook) Yearbook entry showing the newly opened Nathan Bedford Forrest Hall, with photograph and brief description of its use by the ROTC program.
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Dedication Address for Nathan Bedford Forrest Hall Transcript of the dedication address for the ROTC building at Middle Tennessee State College, explaining the decision to name it after Nathan Bedford Forrest and praising his military genius and local roots.
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Memo from the Presidential Task Force Recommending the Renaming of Forrest Hall This memorandum, addressed to President Sidney A. McPhee, presents the findings and recommendation of the Presidential Task Force formed to evaluate the name of Forrest Hall. After months of forums and deliberations, the task force recommended renaming the building due to Nathan Bedford Forrest’s associations with slavery and white supremacy. The memo reflects the division among stakeholders—while a minority supported retaining the name, the majority concluded that renaming was necessary for MTSU’s values of inclusion. The document provides insight into how official campus bodies attempted to balance history, community perspectives, and university reputation.
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Letter from President Sidney A. McPhee on the Forrest Hall Renaming Petition Decision President Sidney A. McPhee issued this letter to the campus community after the Tennessee Historical Commission denied MTSU’s petition to rename Forrest Hall. McPhee explains that pursuing an appeal would require hiring outside legal counsel at significant cost, and after deliberation he decided against it. While acknowledging the financial and legal barriers, McPhee reaffirms his belief that renaming Forrest Hall is the right action, but emphasizes that the university’s efforts will remain focused on creating an inclusive campus for students and staff despite the building’s unchanged name.
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Memo from the Department of History to President McPhee Supporting the Renaming of Forrest Hall A formal letter from the MTSU History Department to President McPhee urging the immediate renaming of Forrest Hall following the Charleston, SC tragedy. The letter cites Nathan Bedford Forrest's history as a slave trader, his responsibility for the Fort Pillow massacre of black Union soldiers, and his founding of the KKK as a terrorist enterprise. The faculty argue that placing his name on a building invites the community to view him as an exemplar for conduct and is an act of honor, not a lesson in history.
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Memo from the Department of Political Science and International Relations to President McPhee on the Renaming of Forrest Hall This memo, written in the aftermath of the Charleston church shooting, urges the renaming of Forrest Hall. The faculty highlight Nathan Bedford Forrest’s associations with slavery, terrorism, and the Ku Klux Klan, emphasizing that honoring him conflicts with the university’s values. The department recommends renaming the building to honor Benjamin O. Davis Jr., an African American general and decorated military leader.
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Board of Trustees Endorses 2nd Effort to Rename Forrest Hall This official university news release documents the MTSU Board of Trustees’ support for a renewed effort to rename Forrest Hall in 2021. It highlights institutional leadership’s response to ongoing controversy and efforts to comply with state heritage law.
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Forrest Hall Updates This is the official MTSU page providing updates on Forrest Hall, including petitions, board actions, and institutional statements related to the building’s naming controversy.