College of William and Mary Renames Buildings That Honored Confederates or Segregationists

The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, has renamed three buildings and a department that currently honor supporters of the Confederacy or Jim Crow segregation.

William & Mary will rename Taliaferro Hall, a dormitory on campus. William Booth Taliaferro was rector of the university and a general in the Confederate army. The residence hall will now honor Hulon L. Willis Sr., who was the first Black student to enroll at William & Mary. Willis graduated in 1956.

Morton Hall, an academic building named for a former chair of the history department who defended segregation, will be renamed. Tyler Hall, another academic building honoring John Tyler, the tenth president of the United States who served in the Confederate Congress, will now be called Chancellor’s Hall.

The board also voted to rename the Lyon Gardiner Tyler Department of History. Lyon Tyler, who was a president of William & Mary, was the author of  “A Confederate Catechism,” which defended the South’s position in the Civil War.

A year ago, the College of William & Mary renamed Maury Hall and Trinkle Hall, which were named for a Confederate naval officer and a Virginia governor who signed legislation supporting racial segregation.

Related Articles

1 COMMENT

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

George Mason University’s Philip Wilkerson Named Mentor of the Year

Philip Wilkerson, an employer engagement consultant for career services at George Mason University in Farifax, Virginia, received the Mentor of the Year Award from the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Oakwood University Wins 2024 Honda Campus All-Star Challenge

The Honda All-Star Challenge is an annual academic competition for students and faculty at historically Black colleges and universities. This year's top finisher, Oakwood University, received a $100,000 grant for their win.

Eight Black Scholars Appointed to New Faculty Positions

Here is this week’s roundup of African Americans who have been appointed to new faculty positions at colleges and universities throughout the United States. If you have news for our appointments section, please email the information to contact@jbhe.com.

MIT Launches HBCU Science Journalism Fellowship

The new HBCU Science Journalism Fellowship will provide students from Howard University, Hampton University, Florida A&M University, Morgan State University, and North Carolina A&T State University with hands-on training and individualized mentorship to develop their journalistic skills.

Featured Jobs