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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.
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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 Rejects Efforts to Rename MTSU Building Named after First Ku Klux Klan Leader This article reports on the state commission’s decision to deny renaming Forrest Hall. It highlights the continued controversy and the historical ties of the building’s namesake to the Ku Klux Klan.
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Denied Again: MTSU Leaders Disappointed They Can’t Change Name of Forrest Hall This news report covers the Tennessee Historical Commission’s rejection of MTSU’s petition to rename Forrest Hall. It emphasizes the frustration of MTSU leaders at being unable to make the change despite years of effort.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.