Allen Building

Building Description

The Allen Building is the university�s main administration building, home to many top-level administrative offices, the departments of English and Classical Studies, the Graduate School, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences.

History

Named after George A. Allen (who oversaw the construction of West Campus), the Allen Building opened in 1954. The building was the last of the West Campus academic quadrangle and it was considered to symbolize the completion of the quadrangle. A portrait of Julian Abele, the designer of West Campus, hangs in the entrance to the building much like a similar portrait hangs in the Vesic Library of Teer.

In one of the most memorable events at Duke, the Allen Building was taken over in 1969 when 75 African-American students occupied the building and issued thirteen demands to the administration. This takeover represented growing tensions between students and administrators, and it paralleled similar protests at other universities. Fortunately, the event ended peacefully when the students exited the building (although they were later tear gassed by police). However, the resignation of Douglas Maitland Knight, who served as Duke University's fifth president, is largely attributed to this memorable protest.