The University of North Carolina at Pembroke has been awarded $750,000 through a History of Equal Rights grant from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, to restore the iconic façade of Old Main. Combined with $550,000 in university funds, the total $1.3 million project marks the first significant renovation to the building since its restoration in 1979.

“Old Main is the heart of our campus, and its history is woven into the very identity of UNC Pembroke,” said Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings in a press release. “This investment ensures Old Main will continue to stand as a beacon of education, culture and opportunity for generations to come. We are deeply grateful for the federal support that makes preserving and protecting this treasured landmark possible.”

The grant was secured after more than a year of research, planning and collaboration under the direction of Chief of Staff Jess Boersma, who led a dedicated grant-writing team which consisted of Paul Jolicoeur, Dr. Amy Hertel Locklear, Kevin Witmore and Trinity Murray. 

Completed in 1923 as the first brick building on campus, Old Main has symbolized education, resilience and equal rights. The building was slated for demolition in 1972, but public protests saved it. A year later, a fire  gutted the structure. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, Old Main was fully restored and reopened in 1979. Today, it houses the Museum of the Southeast American Indian, the Department of American Indian Studies and the Curt and Catherine Locklear American Indian Heritage Center.

“This grant shows the national impact of Old Main,” Boersma said in a press release. “It’s a historic building for the Southeast, deeply connected to the Lumbee Tribe’s pursuit of equal rights, and it stands as a testament to the university’s founding mission —education for American Indians and access for all.”

Support for the project poured in from the local, regional, state, tribal and federal levels. Key advocates included U.S. Rep. David Rouzer, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd, UNC System President Peter Hans, Elizabeth Morra, vice president for Federal Relations for the UNC System, N.C. Department of Administration Secretary Pamela Cashwell, Lumbee Tribal Chairman John Lowery, State Commission of Indian Affairs Executive Director Greg Richardson, Town of Pembroke, Pembroke Tourism Board, Robeson County Office of Economic Development and Robeson County Manager Kellie Blue.

The Old Main façade restoration project will address repairs to the pediment, mortar replacement, improved environmental protections and other updates to preserve the building’s distinctive front. The work will be led by Jenkins Peer Architects and Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates.

The university is seeking additional funding to address other needed restoration work, including roof replacement, brickwork repair, climate control upgrades, window restoration and other accessibility and safety improvements.

“Old Main is our front door — it’s on our logo, it’s where we welcome guests, and it’s where our story begins,” Boersma added in a press release. “The community has always rallied behind this building, and with this investment, we’re ensuring that it will continue to inspire future generations.”