Statements

The Libraries issues additional statements in light of certain events, further affirming our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

The Libraries' ongoing commitment to racial justice

April 30, 2021

On April 20, 2021, a jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all counts for the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. Although Chauvin’s sentencing and possible appeal are yet to come, as well as the August trial of the other three police officers at the scene of the murder, the Chauvin verdict has provided a small measure of justice and catharsis for many in the NC State community, the nation, and the world. During a time of both racial reckoning and racial violence throughout the United States—especially as they relate to law enforcement—the verdict marks an important national moment and, hopefully, a step toward a more equitable future.

Chancellor Woodson’s statement on the verdict acknowledged the profound grief and anxiety that the trial—as well as the constant cycle of shootings and protest—has brought to Black and brown people nationwide. He pointed to a variety of important campus resources for students, faculty, and staff to find counseling and support services. The Chancellor also encouraged people to devote some time to reflect upon the verdict’s moment and the events of the year since Floyd’s death.

Since George Floyd’s murder, other high-profile deaths at the hands of police include Daunte Wright, Adam Toledo, and Ma’Khia Bryant. And then, less than 24 hours after the Chauvin verdict was read, police officers fatally shot Andrew Brown right here in North Carolina. We understand the importance of saying these names now, but recognize there are many others not being mentioned here. Violence against Black and brown bodies continues, and the work for justice and equity continues.

The Libraries is committed to being an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization. The Libraries’ core value of open and equal access to information is an anti-racist value. This value is expressed through our services and resources, our spaces, our hiring and training of staff, and our programs and campus collaborations. The Libraries serves every student, faculty, and staff member at NC State and relishes the responsibility that comes with that charge.

Keeping in mind Chancellor Woodson’s prompt to reflect upon this moment in our collective journey toward racial justice, the Libraries also offers many helpful resources and informative programs and exhibits. Our Special Collections Research Center develops Historical State timelines, some of which focus on underrepresented communities in the university’s history; our staff compiled an anti-racist ebooks reading list freely available to campus and we collaborated with Nubian Message on a Black History Month reading list; we provide research resources on the history of civil rights in the U.S.; and our robust events programming, including a look at student activism on campus and our Making Space series, is now available via recordings on our Think & View page. We also host digital exhibits at the Hunt Library on the Virtual MLK project, the stunning "When MLK and the KKK Met in Raleigh” exhibit, and the racial justice murals installed downtown Raleigh during the African American Cultural Festival last year. Our current exhibit in the Hill Library Exhibit Gallery on the centennial of Technician discusses the history of student media and race on campus including the 1992 founding of Nubian Message, NC State’s Black newspaper.

Amid both national and personal efforts toward equity, the Libraries strives to provide an inclusive atmosphere for the entire NC State community. We are committed to the change that the Chavin verdict gestures toward.

I am so grateful for my Libraries colleagues whose compassion, creativity, and hard work enable us to provide such meaningful resources and content. In particular, I want to thank our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee for ensuring that this work is the foundation of everything we do.

—Greg Raschke, Senior Vice Provost and Director of Libraries