Controversy over CNU’s history and development to be examined by new task force

Nour Habib, The Virginian-Pilot
·2 min read
1

Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones and Christopher Newport University President William Kelly announced this week the establishment of a task force to “understand, acknowledge and address the history and development of Christopher Newport University and the city’s role in that development.”

The task force will research the decisions that led to the placement of the university in the Shoe Lane neighborhood, which was, at the time, home to a small, thriving Black community. Vice Mayor Curtis Bethany and CNU Provost Quentin Kidd will serve as co-chairs.

In recent months, CNU faced scrutiny over the history of its growth, which included taking land from Black residents in the 1960s through eminent domain. The renewed attention followed a series on the issue by ProPublica and the Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism at WHRO.

In November, the university invited historians, geographers and community leaders to participate in a panel discussion on the controversy. Eminent domain, which is the power of governments to take private property for public use, has often been “weaponized” against Black communities and used to create de facto segregation, the panelists said.

In the press release announcing the task force, Jones said: “While I was familiar with similar instances in other parts of the country, I was deeply disturbed to know that this happened in our community. I feel a personal obligation to ensure the city speaks to its role in displacing families and disrupting the sense of community in this historic area.”

Some panelists at the November event also suggested the university consider “material actions” as they tried to move forward.

According to the press release, the task force will examine the impacts that early development decisions had on Newport News residents and provide recommendations on potential action.

“Understanding and acknowledging our past is important to moving forward in a transparent and thoughtful way,” Kelly said in the release. “Christopher Newport is committed to this work.”

The task force will work with the community as well as all CNU stakeholders, and will consult legal experts, historians and “restorative justice experts,” according to the release.

Nour Habib, nour.habib@virginiamedia.com