Manly Hall; housing building dedicated to Charles Manly

Item

Legacies Classification
Memorial Place
Memorial Type
Named Building
Memorial Context
Memorialized Subject
Manly, Charles
Title
Manly Hall; housing building dedicated to Charles Manly
Background and Context
Manly Hall, a freshman housing building at Furman University, is named after Dr. Charles Manly, a prominent Baptist minister, and educator who served as the university's second president from 1881 to 1897. However, the history of Manly Hall's naming is tied to the legacy of slavery in the United States.

Dr. Manly was a slaveholder and staunch supporter of the Confederacy during the Civil War. He used his position as president of Furman University to advocate for the institution of slavery and to oppose abolitionism.

In the early 20th century, Furman University's administration and board of trustees began to undertake a significant campus expansion, including constructing a new administrative building. In 1908, the trustees voted to name the building after Dr. Manly in recognition of his service to the university.

The decision to name the building after a former slaveholder and white supremacist reflects the legacy of racism and discrimination that has persisted in American society long after the abolition of slavery. In recent years, Furman University has made great efforts to acknowledge this history, including discussions about renaming Manly Hall and other buildings on campus that bear the names of figures with ties to slavery and racism. The building is now part of Furman's renovation project and is expected to be completed around August 2025.
Physical Description
Three-story brick building
Creator/Participating Person(s)
Hollaran, Rya
Date created, installed or dedicated
1956
Date Modified
2010
Location: Institution, City, State

Position: 737 (10 views)