Upon his death, John Robinson left his estate, farm, and 73 slaves to what is now Washington and Lee University. In 1836, the college sold the slaves and used the money to build Robinson Hall. Now the university is removing Robinson’s name from the building which will now honor the school’s first Black student.
An advisory panel of faculty, staff, alumni, and students suggested that Lee Chapel should be converted into a museum and key campus events should no longer be held there. Robert E. Lee and his family are buried underneath the chapel.
First and foremost, the commission recommended that the name of the university not be changed despite the fact that George Washington was a slave owner and Robert E. Lee was a slave owner and led the Confederate Army during the Civil War.
Dr. Wubah, a native of Ghana, is a professor of biology at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. He served as provost at Washington and Lee University from 2013 to 2016. Earlier, Dr. Wubah was deputy provost at Virginia Tech.
Currently, Dr. Hill is senior associate to the president, interim chief diversity officer, and associate vice president at the University of Iowa. She joined the faculty at the University of Iowa in 2006 with a joint appointment in the departments of English and African American studies.
In 1826, a local landowner bequeathed 84 slaves to what was then Washington College. For at least 30 years the college owned slaves. Recently, a historical marker was unveiled on campus listing the names of all the slaves that were owned by the college.
Llewellyn J. Cornelius was appointed to a named professorship at the University of Georgia School of Social Work. Elicia Cowins is a new assistant professor of accounting at Washington and Lee University in Virginia and Jimmie Witt has joined the faculty at Lewis and Clark Community College in Illinois.
The team from Washington and Lee University School of Law in Lexington, Virginia, competed against 18 teams in the finals competition held in Portland, Oregon. It was the only undefeated team in the three-day competition.
The issue of the holiday honoring Dr. King is of particular significance to Washington and Lee University. General Robert E. Lee’s tomb is located in a chapel on campus. Before the Civil War, the university had owned between 70 and 80 Black slaves.
Kenneth P. Ruscio, president of Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, has issued a response to student demands that the university take actions to address its past.
Lucas Morel was named to an endowed chair at Washington and Lee University. T. Elon Dancy II was promoted to associate professor and granted tenure at the University of Oklahoma and Maurice Jackson of Georgetown University was named chair of a government commission.
Dr. Wubah is currently professor of biological sciences, vice president for undergraduate education, and deputy provost at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg.
Stephen McDaniel, Remica Bingham-Risher, Blane Harding, Loretta Moore, A. Benjamin Spencer, and Latanya Walker are the appointees.
Harriet Davis, Pamela White, Shawn McShay, Kawachi Clemons, Will Sutton, James Spencer, and Emily London-Jones will be taking on new duties.
Two of the first 12 members of the chapter at the university are White.
 |
