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Dickinson College honors formerly enslaved by renaming spaces on campus

“From being a slave, to getting this kind of recognition, it’s a long way, a long way...I’m very, very proud of my family."

CARLISLE, Pa. — “It’s a very heartwarming day, and I'm blessed to be part of it," said Carol Rose, the great-granddaughter of Robert Young.  

“It’s a great feeling to be here with my family and just being here watching this take place," said Jesse Rawls, the great, great, great, great, great grandson of Henry Spradley. 

Young and Spradley are two former slaves who made an impact at Dickinson College, and are finally getting the recognition they deserve. 

Their descendants and members of the college gathered today for a special event to honor their memory and legacy with the renaming of several places on campus.

The East Gate walkway is now called the Pinkney Gate, after Carrie and Noah Pinkney, and Cooper Hall is now called Spradley-Young Hall, after Henry Spradley and Robert Young.

“It’s important that we learn about the individuals that we’re honoring today, these are not just names on a gate, or on a building, they’re supposed to be stories that can inspire us," said Matthew Pinsker, the co-director of the "house divided project" at Dickinson College. 

Family members, Rose and Rawls, representing of two of the four former slaves honored today, said they couldn't help but feel emotional.

“From being a slave to getting this kind of recognition, it’s a long way, a long way. Long overdue but it’s a long way, and I’m very, very proud of my family. very proud of them," said Rose.

The great, great, great granddaughter of Robert Young, Aliya found out about her connection with through Matthew Pinsker.

“Very thankful to be a part of this, to be a part of the family that I’m in and it’s very inspiring," said Aliya Higginbotham. 

Aliya said she and her grandmother Carol flew in from Kansas and Las Vegas, and said, “I don’t think we would miss it for the world."

“We’re not doing this thing on our own, we’re always standing on someone’s shoulders, and just to know that you know, he blazed the trail, for me and my family to follow, is so very important to us that we continue his legacy," said Rawls.

Rawls says that even through the many hurdles that his ancestors faced, they were able to persevere. 

“Just to realize what these, you know, Robert Young and Henry Spradley, and the Pinkney’s were doing. You know at a time when there was so much against them, but they kept fighting odds and battling and persevering and now we’re here today," said Rawls. 

   

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