From the Third World Center to...
THE CARL A. FIELDS CENTER FOR EQUALITY
AND CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING

For more than thirty years, the Third World Center played an invaluable role in providing a social, cultural, and political environment that was responsive to issues of ethnic and racial diversity, that addressed the needs and aspirations of students of color, and enriched the Princeton experience for all students. However, since 1995, students expressed growing concerns about the ambiguous nature of the Center's name. For many, the name was problematic - even divisive. The TWC Governance Board decided actively to address these concerns in spring 2001. After discussions, surveys, and meetings with students, alumni, and administrators, the Governance Board recommended that the Center be renamed in honor of Dr. Carl A. Fields. On April 13, 2002, the University Board of Trustees gave its approval, and the Center became The Carl A. Fields Center for Equality and Cultural Understanding, effective July 1, 2002. About Dr. Carl A. Fields…

Dr. Fields was the nation's first African-American administrator at a predominantly white university. After joining the Princeton administration in 1964, Dr. Fields served as an advocate for underrepresented students, faculty, and staff. He provided the conceptual guidance that resulted in the establishment of the Third World Center and other programs to benefit students of color. Renaming the Center in his honor recognizes his role in creating the Center and his extraordinary contributions to the University as a whole and to people of color in particular. It is with great pride and respect that we remember Dr. Fields as a man of courage and principle and celebrate his achievements at Princeton, as well as the alumni who gave unselfishly of themselves to ensure a place and a space for us today.

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