Updates on ‘Seeking Abraham,’ new building names

Dear Campus Community,

I write to you today as we celebrate Juneteenth, a commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, marked on the date two years later when African Americans in Texas learned of emancipation. We recognize the significance of this date as horrifying incidents of racism continue more than 150 years later. I have asked Chief Diversity Officer Michael Jennings and others to help us think through how we can do more to recognize this moment in future years.

With this in mind, I am very proud of the work so many members of our campus are and have been doing to address and acknowledge racism and how it has affected our community. One example is the ongoing work of various committees who are carrying out the recommendations of the Task Force on Slavery and Justice and its “Seeking Abraham” report.

I want to update you on a few of those projects. As you may know, Furman has commissioned an artist to create a statue of Joseph Vaughn, the university’s first African American undergraduate student. The statue will be placed in front of the university’s library in a place of reflection and celebration, and is expected to be unveiled at the second annual Joseph Vaughn Day on Jan. 29.

You may also remember that we have significantly expanded a scholarship named for Mr. Vaughn that provides need-based financial aid primarily for African American students from areas of South Carolina where Furman has had campuses throughout its history.

This past spring, we took two more steps toward more fully telling the Furman story and representing all who have helped shape the university over its nearly 200 years. This included removing the name of James C. Furman from the building that currently houses classrooms and offices. The name has been changed simply to “Furman Hall” as a way to honor the other members of the Furman family and community who worked to support the university over time. Although James C. Furman was Furman’s first president and worked to save the university in difficult times, he was also a vocal proponent of slavery and secession.

We also renamed our lakeside housing complex for Clark Murphy and added a plaque acknowledging the labor of Mr. Murphy, a much-loved member of the Furman community who was a long-time janitor, groundskeeper and handyman at the Greenville Woman’s College, which later merged with Furman. This housing complex is the first physical structure on Furman’s campus named for an African American. Please see the new Clark Murphy Housing Complex and Furman Hall plaques.

We had to postpone the spring ceremonies that were planned to celebrate and commemorate these name changes and their significance. We are working to reschedule these events in the fall and will follow up with those details as soon as possible because it is important that we come together around these milestones.

Thank you again to all involved in reflecting on our past, making thoughtful recommendations on moving forward, and helping us to carry out these changes. I look forward to continuing the conversations we’re having with our faculty, staff, students and alumni to ensure we’re taking real actions to create a community in which all are welcomed, cared for, and celebrated.

Warmly,

Elizabeth Davis

President