Journalist May Take Legal Action Against UNC Over Tenure Controversy

Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones may take legal action against the University of North Carolina over a controversial decision denying her tenure. 

UNC-Chapel Hill offered Hannah-Jones a tenured position last month as the Knight Chair in Race and Investigative Journalism. 

The school has since modified its offer to a five-year term with an option for review.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist has drawn criticism from conservatives for her work on the country's history of slavery. 

Now Hannah-Jones is considering legal action against the university and its Board of Trustees.

In an emailed statement to The News & Observer, Jones said she has retained legal counsel to “ensure the academic and journalistic freedom of Black writers,” and to seek redress for the school's actions.

The newspaper reports that a coalition of attorneys has sent a letter to North Carolina lawmakers requesting that they retain all legal records related to Hannah-Jones' hiring, and warned they are considering taking federal action against the university and its Board members.