In April 2021, the Wake Forest University Board of Trustees — acting on findings from the Advisory Committee on Naming — voted unanimously on a resolution to create a campus memorial. In February 2026, the Wake Forest University Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve a design concept and campus location for a memorial.
The memorial will remember and honor the humanity of the enslaved individuals who worked for or were sold to benefit the University. Furthermore, it will put in context the record of Samuel Wait, Wake Forest College’s founder and first president, as a person who had enslaved persons serving his household, and who – as chair of the Board of Trustees – oversaw the liquidation of an estate in 1860 that included the sale of 16 enslaved men, women, and children. Finally, the memorial will serve as a place of contemplation and acknowledgement of Wake Forest’s history in a visible, meaningful, and enduring way.
Explore the Project
Memorial Design & Location
The final conceptual design and location for the Memorial were informed by input from Wake Forest alum, students, staff, faculty, and community members from Wake Forest, NC.
Hopkins Hall
Wake Forest honors the legacy and contributions of pioneers Professor Beth Norbrey Hopkins (’73) and Dr. Lawrence D. Hopkins (’72, MD ‘77) with the naming of Hopkins Hall, a residence hall for 1st year students.
Street Renaming
In the tradition of naming campus roads after former faculty members, 4 roads renamed in honor of professors that paved the way for future Wake Foresters and their pursuit of Pro Humanitate.