RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina State University’s alma mater is changing after a vote by the school’s Board of Trustees.
The word “Dixie” will be removed from the song and replaced with the word “southern,” the university announced.
Students and teachers expressed concerns with the use of the word in the alma mater -- to them, it contradicts the vision, values and goals of NC State, the university said in a statement.
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Those concerns, as well as unease from the Alumni Association Board of Directors, motivated the school to form an executive task force to review the school’s alma mater.
Following the review, the task force presented options for moving forward, one of which was removing “Dixie” and replacing it with a geographical reference.
According to NCSU’s website, the lyrics and accompanying music of the alma mater were originally written in the 1920s, with the word “Dixie” being part of the song since 1925.
The first line of the song has been changed and will now begin with, “Where the Southern winds so softly blow,” making a clear geographical reference.
The change is effective immediately.
Read the school’s full statement here.
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