Signage honoring Henry Owl (MA ‘29) installed in Henry Owl building 

Henry Owl (MA ‘29), a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, was the first American Indian to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He received a master of arts degree in history in 1929. Owl, a strong advocate of full voting and citizenship rights for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, continuously fought for equality. A printed canvas, including a photo of Owl and a biography commemorating his life, are now on display at the Henry Owl Building, along with his original diploma.  

Owl was born in 1896 near Rattlesnake Mountain in western North Carolina. He attended the school at the Cherokee reservation, which at the time went only through eighth grade. Learn more about Owl’s life and influence at UNC-Chapel Hill. 

— Payton Wilkins, communications intern