The Texas Tribune
Shifa Rahman, left, and Blaise, who declined to share a last name, hold signs at the base of the William Marsh Rice statue on the campus of Rice University in Houston. Rahman has spent an hour on campus nearly every day since August calling for the removal of the statue.
Students of color said they feel most of their calls to eliminate racist symbols from campuses have been ignored or intentionally mired in lengthy, bureaucratic processes intended to delay answers to difficult questions.
This summer, students called on the University of Texas at Austin to stop playing the “The Eyes of Texas,” the alma mater song that has historical minstrel show ties. Aggies petitioned Texas A&M University to take down the statue of Lawrence Sullivan “Sul” Ross, a former governor and Confederate general. Students at Rice University demanded removal of the monument of the school founder, William “Willy” Rice, a slave owner.
Students of color said they feel most of their calls to eliminate racist symbols from campuses have been ignored or intentionally mired in lengthy, bureaucratic processes intended to delay answers to difficult questions.
Texas universities promised action after summer’s racial reckoning. But they re still reluctant to shed Confederate relics.
Texas Tribune
Tags: Shifa Rahman, left, and a fellow protestor, hold signs at the base of the William Marsh Rice statue on campus. Rahman has spent an hour on campus nearly every day calling for the removal of the statue since August of 2020.
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune
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This summer, students called on the University of Texas at Austin to stop playing the “Eyes of Texas,” the alma mater song which has historical minstrel show ties. Aggies petitioned Texas A&M University to take down the statue of Lawrence Sullivan Sul Ross, a former governor and Confederate general. Students at Rice University demanded removal of the monument of the school founder, William Willy Rice, a slave owner.