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The University of Wisconsin, Madison, removed a stone that had remained on campus for nearly 100 years after it was determined to be a “painful symbol of racism.”
Chamberlin Rock was flown by a construction crew on Friday and taken from Observatory Hill, a location it had been in since 1925, following revelations that the stone was referred to “by a deeply offensive nickname that included racial insult” in a newspaper the same year. he was placed, wrote the school. The rock was dedicated to Thomas Chamberlin, a geologist and former university president who served the school in the late 1800s.
The removal effort is estimated to be over $ 50,000.
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“It took courage and commitment for the Wisconsin Black Student Union to move this issue forward and influence change alongside UW Wunk Sheek student leaders,” said Lori Reesor, college vice chancellor for student affairs, in a press release. “Amidst the demands for justice following the murder of George Floyd last summer, students wanted change on campus and they worked hard to achieve it. While the decision required compromise, I am proud of the student leaders and the collaboration it took to get there.
Chamberlin’s plaque, which appeared on the stone, was also removed and moved to university-owned property in the Lake Kegonsa area. The stone will henceforth only be qualified as “glacial erratic” by school administrators.
“Moving the rock to this remote site avoids further harm to our community while preserving the educational and research value of the rock for current and future researchers,” said Gary Brown, director of campus and campus planning. landscape architecture, in a press release. “Students and the general public will no longer casually encounter the rock, but it will remain available to those looking for it specifically for teaching and learning purposes. “
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Nalah McWhorter, an elder and former president of the school’s black student union, witnessed the stone’s removal and insisted it was a “powerful moment.” The student also said it had been over a year since she and others asked the school to remove the object.
“I see this as an offer for the next generation of students to build on,” McWhorter said. “We started this project, and now the next set of students can continue to work on the other requests and come up with other ideas. We hope that this movement and momentum will continue.
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Keywords: News, Wisconsin, College, University, Higher Education, Racism
Original author: Jake dima
Original location: University of Wisconsin removes stone from campus after declaring it “painful symbol of racism”
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