Forrest Hall as a window into MTSU's Past

Items

• NAACP Murfreesboro Branch
  The official position statement submitted by the Murfreesboro Branch of the NAACP to the Forrest Hall Task Force. The statement advocates for changing the name of Forrest Hall due to its representation of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest. It includes a reference to student protests in 1968 and the university's integration efforts beginning in 1962.
• Armor ROTC Brings Military Air to Campus; Offers Training For Men Seeking Careers, Peacetime Efficency
  Major headlines cover the launch of the Armor ROTC program, a Physical Education Carnival, and the cast of the Sam Davis Pageant.
• Final Forum on Forrest Hall
  On March 24, 2016, the Forrest Hall Task Force convened its third and concluding public forum at the Keathley University Center on the MTSU campus. The forum was dedicated to fielding questions directed at campus and community organizations regarding their previously submitted and approved statements.
• SIDELINES Opinions: Welcome back, General Forrest / Racist's image finally removed
  The Opinions section of the student newspaper dominated by the debate over the MTSU mascot. Content includes an editorial by Jason Whatley advocating for the return of Nathan Bedford Forrest as the mascot, a column detailing the mascot's history, and a column celebrating the 1989 removal of the Forrest medallion from the Keathley University Center. It also features multiple letters to the editor on the Confederate flag's link to racism and an opinion article criticizing President Clinton's health care reform.
• Symbol must be abolished (Letters to the editor)
  A letter arguing that MTSU must abolish all Confederate symbols, including the image of Nathan Bedford Forrest, the tune "Dixie," and the Confederate flag, as these symbols represent "bondage, exploitation... lynching," and hatred to Black students.
• So where did the 'Blue Raiders' come from?
  An article addressing the origin of the "Blue Raider" nickname and its connection (or lack thereof) to Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest's "Raiders". It quotes University Relations Director Homer Pittard, who explains that the name "Blue Raiders" originated in a 1934 contest sponsored by The Daily News Journal. The winning name, submitted by Charles Sarver, was borrowed from the Colgate University "Red Raiders" and incorporated the school's blue color. Forrest's image was later used as a semi-official symbol around 1938 by President Q.M. Smith and PR Director Eugene Sloan.
• MTSU might get a face lift with new school symbol
  News article reporting PR Director Paul Keckley’s proposed new MTSU logo and the role of the Black Student Association; includes quotes from Verda Gibbs and Amos Tucker and notes Jim Bateman’s design.
• Letter from the Talented 10th Student Activist Coalition to President McPhee Regarding the Renaming of Forrest Hall
  In this open letter, the Talented 10th Student Activist Coalition condemns the continued naming of Forrest Hall after Nathan Bedford Forrest, highlighting his ties to slavery, the Ku Klux Klan, and white supremacy. The students connect their struggle to a broader, decades-long history of Black student activism at MTSU, noting victories such as removing Forrest as the university’s mascot. The letter demands immediate action to rename Forrest Hall and frames the issue as part of the larger national movement for racial justice and campus reform.
• Nathan Bedford Forrest and MTSU
  This blog post documents campus responses on the Forrest Hall naming controversy during 2015. The article reports student concerns, administrative communication, and public reactions as the renaming process unfolded. Used to contextualize student perspectives and actions during the most recent phase of the controversy.
• Understanding MTSU’s Forrest Hall Controversy: Think Civil Rights, Not Civil War
  Historian Elizabeth Catte places the Forrest Hall debate in a broader framework, arguing it reflects ongoing civil rights struggles rather than just disputes over Civil War memory. She critiques shallow narratives and emphasizes contemporary racial justice contexts.
• MTSU Community Supports Sidelines Request for Renaming of Forrest Hall
  This piece reports on broad campus support for renaming Forrest Hall after MTSU Sidelines formally petitioned for the change. It captures the student-driven activism behind the renaming campaign.
• Why, in 2023, Does MTSU Still Have a Building Named after a Confederate Icon?
  This student newspaper article questions why, despite years of controversy, MTSU still maintains the Forrest Hall name. It highlights the persistence of Confederate symbols on campus and the frustration of students demanding change.