230 years ago, he became the first Tar Heel
Hinton James walked from Wilmington to Chapel Hill in 1795 to enroll as the first student at Carolina.
While around 30,000 students are enrolled at Carolina today, back in February 1795 there was just one — Hinton James.
While any student residing on south campus is familiar with a long walk to classes, James made a much longer trek (170 miles) from Wilmington to become Carolina’s first student to enroll.
“Regardless of how he got here, it wasn’t an easy trip,” said University archivist Nicholas Graham. “He was taking a tremendous leap of faith to come to Chapel Hill to enroll in a school that had barely been open for three weeks.”
Carolina opened on Jan. 15, 1795, and James arrived on Feb. 12. For two weeks, James was the only student, but he had 40 classmates by the end of the term. Except for the chapel attendance that was compulsory then, his routine was similar to a Carolina student’s now: attending classes, studying and finding time to dine and exercise.
The first Tar Heel even joined a student organization. In 1795, the Dialectic and Philanthropic societies were established as Carolina’s oldest student organization. James participated in the debate society and often was mentioned in faculty citations for good scholarship.
James graduated in 1798 with a bachelor’s degree and returned to Wilmington to work as a civil engineer. His legacy still lives on at Carolina, through frequent celebrations and a building familiar to many Tar Heels. Hinton James Residence Hall, located on south campus, was named in James’ honor in 1967.
Remembering the first Tar Heel
As part of the sesquicentennial celebration of his arrival in 1945, Carolina researcher and librarian Louis R. Wilson organized the first “Hinton James Day” celebration.
In the early 2000s, Carolina Alumni took over planning the celebration. Activities include a themed lunch in the dining hall, games and breakfast at James’ namesake hall. In 2018, the Order of the Bell Tower, Carolina Alumni’s student branch, added something new to the tradition: a student dressed as Hinton James who walks around campus during the celebration.
“Hinton James Day highlights what a privilege it is not only to receive an education, but to do so at the greatest University in the world,” said Andrea Franks, Carolina Alumni’s coordinator of student enrichment and young alumni engagement.
Carolina Alumni expanded the celebration to incorporate other Carolina firsts, including Sallie Walker Stockard, the first female graduate; Henry Owl, the first American Indian admitted to UNC; and John L. Brandon, Ralph K. Frasier and LeRoy B. Frasier Jr., Carolina’s first Black undergraduates.
The trek
And while we might not know if James traveled by horse or on foot to Chapel Hill, many Tar Heels have recreated the journey. To mark Carolina’s bicentennial in 1993, Mark Henderson ’51 walked from Burgaw to Chapel Hill. In 2008, three alumni — Nick Becketti, Bryan Jones and Whitney Reeds — walked from Wilmington to Chapel Hill.
But in a sense, many Tar Heels complete a symbolic walk akin to James’ when they decide to attend Carolina. Franks noted that for many Tar Heels, their education has been earned in the face of great hardship and realized at the hand of great personal sacrifice. “Our hope is that celebrating James reemphasizes the value students place on their education, their opportunity to be here, and strengthens their lifelong connection to Carolina,” she said.
Graham agrees, noting that James can be seen as an inspiration for all future Tar Heels. “His story is symbolic of the different paths that students travel to get to Chapel Hill,” he noted.
