Monmouth University will remove former President Woodrow Wilson's name from one of its buildings to "foster a genuinely fair, inclusive, and supportive community for all," reports The New York Times.
The former Wilson Hall will now be known as the "Great Hall at Shadow Lawn."
Wilson, who was elected president of the United States in 1912, supported segregation, barred black students from Princeton University and spoke approvingly of the Ku Klux Klan.
"Wilson was a controversial politician, and I think it has heightened awareness in 2020 about some of his racist policies," Monmouth President Patrick F. Leahy told the Times.
Monmouth's board of trustees announced the change Friday the Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.
"Wilson was a controversial politician, who never actually set foot in the current building," wrote Leahy and Monmouth's board chair, Michael Plodwick, wrote in a letter to students, teachers and staff. "Removing his name, and incorporating these earlier names, connects the centerpiece of our campus more accurately to our historical roots and eliminates a symbolic barrier to the important work of creating a truly welcoming and inclusive space in the Great Hall."
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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