{"id":8229,"date":"2019-05-22T15:00:21","date_gmt":"2019-05-22T19:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/2022\/04\/21\/slavery-and-justice\/"},"modified":"2022-11-06T19:22:27","modified_gmt":"2022-11-07T00:22:27","slug":"slavery-and-justice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/slavery-and-justice\/","title":{"rendered":"Board of Trustees approves recommendations to rename hall, honor first African-American student"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Furman University Board of Trustees has approved a number of recommendations made by the board\u2019s Special Committee on Slavery and Justice, including removing \u201cJames C.\u201d from James C. Furman Hall, and creating a statue and day of celebration to honor the late<\/p>\n

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Joseph Vaughn was the first African-American to enroll at Furman.<\/p><\/div>\n

Joseph Vaughn, the university\u2019s first African-American student.<\/p>\n

The recommendations were unanimously approved by the full board at its meeting on May 18. A recording of the campus announcement event held Wednesday, May 22, may be viewed here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The name of the university\u2019s first president, James C. Furman, will be removed from the building located at the heart of campus, and the building will be renamed Furman Hall, in honor and celebration of the entire Furman family and all of the students, faculty, staff and alumni who have contributed to the history of the university.<\/p>\n

The university also will erect a statue of Vaughn in a prominent, comprehensive place of celebration and reflection on campus that will help tell the story of his important contributions to Furman\u2019s history. A student group will work with faculty and staff to create an annual Joseph Vaughn commemorative day and celebration.<\/p>\n

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Furman’s report, “Seeking Abraham,” was completed in summer 2018.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Special Committee made its recommendations to the board based on a set of recommendations that were part of the report, \u201cSeeking Abraham,\u201d completed by the university\u2019s Task Force on Slavery and Justice this past summer. A number of the report\u2019s other recommendations that fall under the purview of the administration and faculty are under consideration or being carried out.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe trustees are pleased to approve the recommendations made by the Special Committee on Slavery and Justice, which will guide Furman in fully acknowledging and sharing its history to foster a more inclusive future,\u201d said Alec Taylor, chair of the Board of Trustees. \u201cThe university\u2019s Task Force on Slavery and Justice is to be commended for the thoughtful and deliberate process that produced the \u2018Seeking Abraham\u2019 report. I also want to thank the Special Committee of the board, chaired by trustee Baxter Wynn, for their work in reviewing the report, considering the recommendations contained therein, and making their recommendations to the board.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other recommendations approved by the board include:<\/p>\n