Fabulous 50: Color Wall

In the 1970s, Chancellor John Tyler Caldwell (1911-1995) commissioned the Color Wall on the north wall of the tower in the D.H. Hill Jr. Library. The mural was designed by Joseph H. Cox (1915-1997), a professor in the School of Design, for a total of $6,200. The fixture first became operational in January 1972, nearly 50 years ago today. 

Circuit Sketches by Joe Cox, 1980s. From MC 00406, Box 3, Folder 6
DH Hill Jr. Library, Circuit Sketches by Joe Cox, 1970s. From MC 00406, Box 3, Folder 6.

According to a 1972 Technician article, the mural consists of a white wall, colored spotlights, and black aluminum strips. These elements work harmoniously together to display hundreds of vertical bands of multicolored light overlooking Hillsborough Street on campus. In the 1972 Technician article, Cox reflected on the mural by saying, “It is a space in which people are in motion.” The mural lights change in irregular intervals about 32 times every 2 minutes, so a person will see a multitude of colors while walking through the windowed hallway. This was made possible by a mechanical device Cox invented to synchronize the lights, turning them on and off to give the illusion of movement. In the words of the renowned Alexander Isley (part of the design team for the Hill Library's 2020 renovation), the Color Wall is "a noteworthy feature" in the library "that uses light projection to produce an everchanging color spectrum." (Isley has also donated his papers to Special Collections.) The Color Wall's changing colors emphasize the idea of change and variety in our lives, which was an important thematic element for the original design team.

Circuit Sketches by Joe Cox, 1980s. From MC 00406, Box 3, Folder 6
Cox designed other light murals during his career. These are his Color Circuit Sketches from the 1980s. From MC 00406, Box 3, Folder 6.

By the early 2000s, the Color Wall was completely inoperable due to the aging mechanical switching system. In 2009, an endowment fund was created by the Friends of the Library and blog “Good Night Raleigh!” to fix the Color Wall and keep it operational. The Color Wall was officially relit on September 25, 2010, due to these efforts. As senior student James Holbert concluded in a 2010 Technician article, “The Color Wall should shine brightly forever.”

Color Wall at Dedication of renovated Hillsborough Street corridor, 2010. From Edward T. Funkhouser Photographs, MC 00336.
Color Wall at Dedication of renovated Hillsborough Street corridor, 2010. From Edward T. Funkhouser Photographs, MC 00336.
Joseph H. Cox painting at easel, 1960. From UA 023.030, oversize Flat box 5
Joseph H. Cox painting at easel, 1960. From UA 023.030, Oversize Flat Box 5. 

Archival resources on the history of the Color Wall are available in the Libraries' Special Collections Research Center. For more information about Joseph Cox, please view the collection guide for the Joe Cox papers. The Color Wall was reimagined in 2020 at the Hunt Library Art Wall as a digital representation of the original design, and more information about the digital programming project can here be found here. If you have questions about our collections or would like to see our materials, please use our online request form or visit our homepage. 

The Special Collections Research Center is open by appointment only.  Please contact us at library_specialcollections@ncsu.edu for appointments or any questions. You can also submit a request to use materials, and we will email you with available appointment times.