Roberts Hall
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Originally known as the Humanities Building, this building was constructed in the early 1970s and first used for classes in 1972. In 1988, the building was dedicated to history professor Dr. Frances C. Roberts for her dedication to historic preservation and research in Huntsville.
Images
Roberts Hall
View of the UAH Library and Roberts Hall
View of Roberts Hall showing Spragins Hall in the background
View of Roberts Hall
View of Roberts Hall with paper lanterns in the foreground
View of Roberts Hall in the snow, looking toward Spragins Hall
View of Roberts Hall in the snow
Students look over the balcony at Roberts Hall
UAH graduates file past Roberts Hall
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
The Humanities Building of the University of Alabama in Huntsville opened in January of 1972. Before Roberts Hall was built, the English and History departments were contained in portables behind Morton Hall. Once the Humanities Building was complete, those departments moved into the new building. Other humanities disciplines, like music, were later housed in the building, as well.
The Humanities Building was dedicated on the 14th of May in 1988. Its namesake was Dr. Frances C. Roberts. Dr. Roberts was one of the original five instructors at the University Center in Huntsville, teaching history at the school. She continued to be a part of UAH's history department and of the larger university community for many years, leaving an impact on faculty, staff, and students alike. UAH President at the time of dedication, Frank Franz considered Dr. Roberts to be:
A superior professor who had an impact on countless people in North Alabama. She was a forceful and effective advocate for liberal arts and indeed the whole university. She personified the dedication to excellence and caring in higher education[1]
She left a lasting mark on the her department and the entire university history. She helped establish liberal arts at UAH, and for that reason, the Humanities Building was dedicated in her name. Today, Roberts Hall is home to the Music Department and the College of Education.
Sources
Ceci, Katie. "Humanities Building renamed Roberts Hall." Exponent (Huntsville) May 18th 1988. .2.
The University of Alabama in Huntsville. "Humanities Building opens." Exponent (Huntsville) January 20th 1972. 4 ed, 9 sec, 4-16.
[1] “UAH Insight, Volume 10, Nubmer 18, November 21, 2000,” Series 3, Box 1, Folder 2, Frances Cabannis Roberts Collection, The UAH Archives and Special Collections
The University of Alabama in Huntsville. Roberts Hall, UAH Events. Accessed June 6th 2022. https://www.uah.edu/events/venues/detail/26/1/roberts-hall.