The Committee on Elon History & Memory's 2020 report focuses on the experiences of Black members of the Elon community throughout its history and explores ways to improve policies and procedures regarding Elon’s commemorative practices going forward. The report is the result of two years of work by the 12-member committee formed in 2018 by President Connie Ledoux Book to examine the university’s history and how it has been told through the years.
The report details 10 episodes that illustrate both anti-Black racism and Black achievements that have been only partially told or erased. The issues depicted in the episodes range from a deeper look into the legacy of William A. Harper, Elon’s fourth president whose name was removed from a residential building over the summer due to racist behavior, to current efforts to diversify the curriculum. The committee gives 13 recommendations to align with the university's ongoing inclusive excellence initiatives, including pathways for students to confront race in their coursework and the founding of the Black Lumen Project.
