Cornelia Spencer

Cornelia Spencer

Cornelia Spencer

Associated Building(s): Spencer Residence Hall;

Other Relationships: Chapel Hill Resident, Daughter of James Phillips

Birthplace: Harlem, New York

Lifespan: 1825-03-20/1908-03-11

Race: White

Sex: Female

Relationship(s) to University: Benefactor

Era(s): Antebellum, Civil War, Reconstruction

Involvement(s): Slavery, White Supremacy, Women's Rights

Narrative: http://unchistory.web.unc.edu/building-narratives/spencer-residence-hall/

More info: https://museum.unc.edu/exhibits/show/earlywomen/cornelia-phillips-spencer--182

Latitude/Longitude: 40.811571, -73.946415

Cornelia Phillips Spencer, born in Harlem, spent most of her life in Chapel Hill. Best known as the woman who rang the bell after UNC reopened after Reconstruction, Spencer’s legacy has raised questions as scholars and activists alike have reexamined her white supremacist views.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.