The Nikole Hannah-Jones tenure controversy at UNC: Answers to common questions Kate Murphy, The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) May 29—Acclaimed journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and a team of lawyers are considering taking legal action against UNC-Chapel Hill for discrimination, following a wave of national outrage over her not getting tenure for a new position she will take at the university this summer. Here's what you need to know about the issue. Who is Nikole Hannah-Jones? Nikole Hannah-Jones is a Black woman and an investigative journalist for The New York Times who was hired this spring as UNC's Knight Chair in Race and Investigative Journalism at the Hussman School of Journalism and Media. The position is designed for industry greats to enter academia.