Princeton Considers Removing Woodrow Wilson’s Name From Campus Buildings

The legacy of President Woodrow Wilson includes creating the Federal Reserve, signing the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote, and winning the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating the peace treaty that ended World War I. But because of his history of supporting racial segregation, some college students feel he shouldn’t be honored at his alma mater, Princeton University.

After a 32-hour sit-in by student activists, school officials agreed on Thursday night to consider removing Wilson’s name from university walls and buildings.

“We appreciate the willingness of the students to work with us to find a way forward for them, for us, and for our community,” Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber said in a statement released by the university. “We were able to assure them that their concerns would be raised and considered through appropriate processes.”

Prior to being commander in chief from 1913 to 1921, Wilson studied at Princeton and went on to serve as the school’s president. The school's prestigious Wilson School of Public Policy and International Affairs is named in his honor, as is a campus dormitory; a mural at the school honors him as well.

The call to remove Wilson’s name has its share of supporters and opponents. Those who want his name removed say his pro-segregation policies and statements about black people were blatantly racist even when compared with the attitudes of his contemporaries. This fall, activists put up posters around campus featuring quotes from Wilson, including “Segregation is not a humiliation, but a benefit” and “The whole temper and tradition of this place [Princeton] are such that no Negro has ever applied for admission and it seems unlikely that the question will ever assume practical form.”

Others say removing his name is essentially rewriting history and note that dozens if not hundreds of colleges, high schools, and public facilities feature the names of supporters of slavery; schools from Portland, Oregon, to Dallas are named after Wilson.

College students are protesting against racism at colleges across the country, and Princeton students aren’t the only ones looking to rename key facilities. Yale University students petitioned to alter the name of Calhoun College, named after John C. Calhoun, who as a U.S. senator supported and perpetuated slavery. Faculty members at Amherst College unanimously agreed earlier this week that the college should retire its unofficial mascot, Lord Jeff Amherst, known for having given smallpox blankets to Native Americans.

Thursday’s agreement doesn’t guarantee changes at Princeton as drastic as renaming the Wilson School, though it details plans to initiate talks to consider removing a mural of Wilson and to work to create a cultural training program. Student activists have been absolved from disciplinary action for participating in the protest.