Monmouth University Removes Woodrow Wilson’s Name From Building

LONG BRANCH, NJ – Monmouth University will be removing Woodrow Wilson’s name from a campus building, according to a letter from the university's president released Friday. The building formerly known as Wilson Hall will be renamed "the Great Hall at Shadow Lawn".

After a unanimous vote from the Board of Trustees, the decision was made to rid the building of the former U.S. President's name. "Removing his name, and incorporating these earlier names, connects the centerpiece of our campus more accurately to our historical roots and eliminates a symbolic barrier to the important work of creating a truly welcoming and inclusive space in the Great Hall," reads the statement.

The rebranding plan will push the campus closer to its goal of establishing the Great Hall as an engaging hub for all students, according to the letter. The university plans to create an inclusive and inviting space within the building by adding additional study tables, gathering spaces and a coffee bar on the main floor.

Wilson’s ties to the university are limited: the former New Jersey Governor and President of the United States never actually stepped foot into the building. According to the school, he did reside in the Shadow Lawn mansion during the summer of 1916 for several weeks. It was only after the building was rebuilt due to a 1927 fire that it was acquired by Monmouth University and dubbed Wilson Hall in 1955.

Perhaps most famously known for his work in the formulation of the League of Nations (a precursor to the United Stations), Wilson also denied African American students admission to Princeton University, where he served as President. He believed Black Americans were unworthy of citizenship, commended the Ku Klux Klan and resegregated departments in the federal government to include separate workspaces, lunchrooms and bathrooms for Black employees.

The letter to the university was signed on Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the day that the Emancipation Proclamation reached Texas, which finally freed the last slaves in America more than two years after the proclamation.

“On this Juneteenth 2020 – a day when we celebrate the end of slavery in the U.S. – we continue to seek ways to foster a genuinely fair, inclusive, and supportive community for all,” the letter reads. “Through numerous conversations with students, faculty, staff, and alumni over the past few weeks, one thing is clear: we must do more, especially as we prepare to enroll this fall our most diverse incoming class ever.”

To read the full statement, click here.