Photos: Alum Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow is Namesake of USC Building

USC alum. World War II hero and war chief of the Apsáalooke (Crow) Nation. Author and historian. To this lengthy list of honors, Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow added another entry in April: namesake for USC’s Center of International and Public Affairs.

From this morning on, this building, with that beautiful globe top tower that is visible all across Los Angeles, telegraphs a new symbol of USC, a new name—I’d say a proper name—to carry tomorrow’s dream.

President Carol L. Folt

The building’s name change, celebrated by members of Medicine Crow’s family, USC administrators, faculty, staff and students, also represents USC President Carol L. Folt’s drive to align the university with its core values and shape what USC wants to be as a community.

“From this morning on, this building, with that beautiful globe top tower that is visible all across Los Angeles, telegraphs a new symbol of USC, a new name—I’d say a proper name—to carry tomorrow’s dream,” Folt said. “Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow’s name on this building and his life that’s so dedicated to peace, to unity, education and global understanding, will be a very visible sign of hope and of honor.”

Medicine Crow completed his master’s degree in anthropology while on scholarship at USC in 1939 and received an honorary doctorate in 2003. He died in April 2016 at age 102.

The renaming had been a priority for Folt since shortly after she stepped on campus in 2019. Originally known as the Von KleinSmid Center of International and Public Affairs, the building was named for former USC President Rufus Von KleinSmid, a supporter of eugenicist theory.

But the dedication ceremony was not about what the name was, but rather what it is now and will be for next generation of Trojans.

“He is our USC warrior for peace,” Folt said. “Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow’s dreams, his life of honor—proudly, humbly on our Center for International and Public Affairs—will truly inspire USC Trojans for generations to come.”