Texas is responding to football player requests with major changes

A month after Texas football players requested a list of changes on campus, Texas responded to a comprehensive plan to “redefine campus symbolism,” including the Texas football field being renamed for Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams and a statue for Texas’ first black football letter man.

On June 12, Longhorns players released a statement calling for the removal of “The Eyes of Texas” as a school song, the renaming of four campus buildings named after Confederate or racist figures, more diverse statues of colored people, a permanent black Sports history in the hall of honor of the School of Athletics and renaming part of the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium after Julius Whittier, who was the first black player in 1970 to write a letter for the Longhorns.

On Monday, Texas interim president Jay Hartzell announced a number of diversity initiatives, including “Rethinking how best to reflect the university’s values, both in the symbols and names on campus and in the openness with which UT shared theirs Story told”.

“The Eyes of Texas”, sung before and after every soccer game, remains. But the school said it would teach about its origins, seen in a minstrel show with black characters in 1903, hoping “to regain and redefine what this song stands for by first opening up its story possesses and recognizes open and open ways. ” transparent.”

Texas will erect a statue of Whittier at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. At the request of the family of the late Jamail, a prominent Texas booster, Joe Jamail Field at the stadium is renamed in honor of Texas’ two Heisman Trophy winners, Campbell and Williams.

“For countless days as a young soccer player and after being inducted into the Hall of Fame, Ricky and I have stood for many important points in our lives in this iconic field,” Campbell said in a statement with Williams. “We never thought that this historic site would one day bear our name. The symbolism of this honor goes beyond the recognition of the Heisman trophies we have received. It applies to all students, but especially to black athletes who continue to do so working to define our collective motto “win with integrity.” Ricky and I are humble about this honor. “

Williams added that he hopes the name change will be part of an ongoing commitment to diverse representation in Texas.

“Earl and I are honored to be part of the change that is affecting our alma mater, the University of Texas, the nation and the world,” said Williams. “We recognize that the Campbell / Williams Field designation is a historic moment and we urge our country’s universities and communities to continue to reflect on the history, symbolism and identity that we attach to monuments, public institutions and sports organizations and review. A new awareness is rising and we are honored to be part of it. “

The school responded directly to many requests from soccer players in the June statement.

“I’ve listened to dozens of students over the past month,” said Hartzell. “I went into these conversations and understood that UT worked hard to become a more diverse and welcoming place. I found that there was more work to do – and this begins and ends with creating an environment in which students are fully supported before, during and after their time at UT. “

The players included the requirement to rename several campus buildings named after confederate or racist personalities, including:

• Robert Lee Moore Hall, named after a math professor who is known for black students who are not allowed to attend classes. The university said it will be renamed.

• TS Painter Hall, named after Theophilus Painter, who served as UT president from 1944 to 1952, and refused entry to Texas law school to Heman M. Sweatt, a black student who met all admission requirements except race. The decision led to a lawsuit, Sweatt v. Painter, which eventually led to a Supreme Court case that forced school admission of black students in 1950. The school said it would be Sweatt, UT’s first black student, with the Heman M. Sweatt honoring the entrance to TS Painter Hall, and would place a statue of Sweatt near the entrance. There will also be room in the building for an exhibition that tells the story of Sweatt’s trial.

• Littlefield Hall, built by UT President George W. Littlefield, a Confederate Army officer, and James Hogg Hall, named after a governor of Texas, whose legacy included the signing of some of the state’s first Jim Crow laws. These buildings were included as part of a new plan to educate visitors about the history and context of the names on campus.

The athletes also called for entry-level programs for college students to discuss the history of racism on campus, and a contact program for cities like Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, and 0.5 percent of athletics revenue donated to black organizations and the blacks were donated live matter movement.

The school addressed each of these issues and said it would provide a “multi-million dollar investment from Texas Athletics revenue” for programs designed to recruit, attract, retain, and support black students, and said it would expand UT’s presence and reach in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and elsewhere.

The school said the schedule for changes in the future will be released when each project starts.