The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill faces criticism over its decision to deny
tenure to award-winning New York Times Magazine writer Nikole Hannah-Jones, lead
author of The 1619 Project. NC Policy Watch first reported the university’s decision.
Conservative groups came out against her hire at the school last month, leading to
UNC-Chapel Hill’s decision not to offer her tenure. Throughout her career, Hannah-
Jones has received the Pulitzer Prize and a MacArthur Fellowship “Genius Grant.”
Despite support from the school’s chancellor and faculty, Hannah-Jones won’t obtain a
tenured teaching position at her alma mater. The decision led to many news media
members calling out the university; MSNBC’s Joy Reid said UNC-Chapel Hill is “dead
wrong” on Twitter.
“Universities should not be denying tenure based on right wing sensitivities to the
uncomfortable truths of history. That just goes flat out against the supposed goals of a
university education,” Reid tweeted.
PBS White House reporter Yamiche Alcindor was another vocal news media journalist
who took to Twitter to provide her thoughts on the university’s decision.
“UNC’s decision to deny tenure to @nhannahjones is absurd & a reminder of how hard
some work to deny the hard truth that is Nikole’s life work & the 1619 Project. She is a
Pulitzer Prizer winner & a MacArthur genius. What more needs to be said?” Alcindor
wrote.
Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.
