Baylor University report recommends changing buildings and statues honoring slave owners but gives a

[TexasTowelie]

Baylor University report recommends changing buildings and statues honoring slave owners but gives a pass to school’s founder

by Kate McGee, Texas Tribune


A report released Tuesday examining Baylor University’s connections to slavery and racism is recommending the university relocate some statues and change building names honoring former slaveowners.

But the commission — tasked with examining these issues in the wake of the racial reckoning that swept the country after the death of George Floyd — gave a pass to the school’s founder Judge R.E.B. Baylor who also owned slaves. Some students this summer had raised issues with the statue of the founder because of his history as a slaveowner and recently they pushed for it to be removed from campus.

“Judge Baylor was not a perfect man,” Mark Rountree, chair of the Baylor Board of Regents, wrote in a letter to the university community Tuesday. “With our university, Judge Baylor established the foundation for hundreds of thousands of students — which now include all races and creeds — to receive a unique educational experience that combines academic excellence and a Christian commitment. We will continue to recognize Judge Baylor for the founding of Baylor University, just as we commit to presenting a more complete history of the university.”

The report’s authors said, however, they were concerned by the phrase on Baylor’s statue, that “he exemplified in his life the motto of Baylor University Pro Ecclesia/Pro Texana” would imply acceptance of his past as a slaveholder. The committee suggested that statement be removed or further explained.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/23/baylor-university-statues-slavery/