A new art installation on Borchuck Plaza honors a defining period in ETSU’s history.
ETSU unveiled five new bronze sculptures on October 25,2025, honoring and memorializing the five trailblazing students who integrated ETSU in the late 1950s: Eugene Caruthers, Elizabeth W. Crawford, George L.Nichols, Mary Luellen Owens Wagner, and Clarence McKinney.
The new sculptures depict the students as they were then —young, determined, stepping forward together — while the ceremony highlighted who they are now: pioneers whose courage reshaped the university and the region.
It was a powerful meeting of now and then.
Three of the five honorees — Crawford, Nichols, and Wagner —attended the ceremony, joined by Robert McKinney, son of Clarence McKinney.
The monument stands as part of ETSU’s Borchuck Plaza, in front of the Charles C. Sherrod Library. Borchuck Plaza is home to the Memorial Fountain, which
is also dedicated to these five pioneers in ETSU’s history.
When an arctic blast swept through Johnson City in December 2022, it brought freezing temperatures that nearly destroyed the iconic fountain. The fountain froze solid and cracked under the weight of the ice.
University leaders thought that the fountain would have to be completely replaced, so they put out a national call to artists to submit a new design to replace the damaged monument. A committee of community leaders, students, faculty, and staff reviewed the five finalists and selected a final design – a sculpture by Detroit artist Austen Brantley.
At the ceremony, Brantley revealed the name of the sculpture, The Path, underscoring both the collective journey and the distinct achievements of the five students — and those who would follow in their footsteps.
ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland reflected on that journey during the ceremony. “Living here in these beautiful mountains, we often use the metaphor of ‘trailblazers,’” he said. “These five students were trailblazers in every sense of the word, helping chart a better future not only for our university but for our entire region.”
George Nichols, one of the five students represented in the piece, served on the committee to select and plan for the art installation.
“This statue stands as a powerful reminder of five courageous men and women who, in the face of uncertainty, broke barriers to desegregate ETSU and reshape its history,” Nichols said. “Their strength and resolve opened doors for countless others and marked a turning point in the pursuit of equality and justice. As we honor this legacy, may this courage continue to inspire future generations to stand firm in their convictions, pursue their aspirations without fear, and build a more inclusive and compassionate future for all.”
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