The University of Richmond campus. (Photo: Alex Scribner/VPM News)
On March 3, a coalition of Black University of Richmond students gave an April 1 deadline to address racial discrimination and equity issues on campus.
Students said they’d end all official relationships with the school if administration didn’t meet a list of demands, including removing the names of segregationist Douglas Southall Freeman and pro-slavery Rev. Robert Ryland, the first university president, from two on-campus buildings.
The university reaffirmed its commitment to keeping the names on the buildings in an email from university President Ronald Crutcher, sent March 17, and students and student organizations responded by beginning to disaffiliate on March 25, a week earlier than their original deadline.