NIU Today | NIU celebrates African American trailblazer by renaming New Residence Hall

NIU will rename New Residence Corridor in honor of Fanny Ruth Patterson, the college’s first African American graduate.

Fanny Ruth Patterson, first African-American scholar to graduate from Northern Illinois College.

New Residence Hall will now be often called Fanny Ruth Patterson Complicated, house to Patterson Corridor East and Patterson Corridor West.

The renaming—proposed by NIU Housing and Residential Services and accredited by the NIU Board of Trustees on June 16—not solely acknowledges Patterson’s legacy, it signifies NIU’s dedication to range, fairness and inclusion as outlined in each the college’s goals and Strategic Enrollment Management Plan.

“Fanny Ruth Patterson was a trailblazer and it’s essential that her story is understood to all who come to our college” NIU President Lisa Freeman mentioned. “We’re proud to honor her and her legacy, and I’m proud to be a part of a college that vigilantly works to make sure all Huskies really feel welcome, included and valued.”

NIU will formally have a good time the naming of Fanny Ruth Patterson Complicated in October in the course of the college’s Homecoming celebration. At the moment, a separate occasion is deliberate to additionally have a good time the renaming of the Campus Life Building in honor of former NIU President John Peters.

The transition of the college’s web site, signage, printed collateral and different objects to mirror each new names will start in October and certain final all through the educational yr.

New Corridor can be renamed in honor of Fannie Ruth Patterson throughout an official renaming ceremony scheduled to happen throughout NIU’s one hundred and fifteenth Homecoming celebration.

Patterson, of Hinkley, accomplished her two-year diploma in 1915, after enrolling in NIU’s predecessor, Northern Illinois State Regular College, on the age of 21. Northern Illinois State Regular College would later turn into often called Northern Illinois College.

When Patterson graduated, the primary president of Northern Illinois State Regular College, John W. Cook dinner, gave her a glowing advice as she utilized for a place educating English and historical past for the St. Louis faculty system.

“She is a most wonderful and fascinating younger lady and she or he has had the whole confidence of all people with whom she has labored,” Cook dinner wrote on the time.

A catalog of graduates of Northern Illinois State Regular College exhibits that Patterson taught downstate in Cairo for a minimum of 4 years after graduating. She died of pulmonary tuberculosis on Feb. 17, 1920, in Hinckley on the age of 28, in accordance with a demise certificates from the University Archives.

In proposing the renaming of New Residence Corridor in Patterson’s honor, NIU Housing and Residential Services described the constructing—that includes cluster residing with enhanced privateness—as an applicable facility to bear her title. The proposal was endorsed by the Division of Student Affairs.

“Honoring Patterson’s legacy as an educator could be a pure complement to our present residents who reside within the advanced,” the proposal said.

“The advanced additionally has been house to a number of workshops, applications and extra academic alternatives that commemorate inclusion and variety. The distinctive options of the advanced together with the renaming might create further alternatives to foster a middle for dialogue and neighborhood round problems with social justice, anti-racism and variety all year long.”

Amongst these to reward the renaming on the June 16 NIU Board of Trustees assembly, Trustee Robert Pritchard described Patterson as somebody pushed from a small city who overcame quite a lot of obstacles.

“I believe as we study extra about her life and story it actually typifies the NIU scholar,” he mentioned. “That’s why I believe it’s so applicable {that a} residence corridor is known as after her and the legacy she has left… She leaves the legacy you possibly can try, you possibly can come from humble beginnings and NIU gives an ideal alternative to pursue desires.”