Nikole Hannah-Jones Settles With University Of North Carolina

Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of The 1619 Project, whose historical perspective on slavery in America threatened an influential conservative contingent at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has reached a settlement with the school, including a payout of less than $75,000. Jones, was denied a tenured position in 2021, unlike previous applicants for the Knight Chair in Race and Investigative Journalism at the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, and was offered a five year contract instead. After rigorous protest from UNC faculty and students, and national opposition, who supported Jones, the UNC Board of Trustees held a contentious closed door meeting and capitulated, voting to offer Jones tenure. It was too little too late. Jones indicated she might sue UNC for discrimination.

In the settlement announcement, David Boliek, chair of the university’s board of trustees, who voted against tenure for Jones, said, “The steps taken to resolve the lingering potential legal action posed by Ms. Hannah-Jones will hopefully help to close this chapter and give the university the space to focus on moving forward.”