The imminent change of Bibb Graves Hall to Lucy-Graves Hall has not only shocked us, but has sent ripples of confusion and disappointment throughout our community at large. Autherine Lucy Foster deserves better than to share this honor with someone who actively stood against the change she represented on this campus. Invoking the name of the first Black UA student is an empty gesture when she is named alongside an officer of the KKK. The name change not only reflects poorly on the University's public image, but it seems like nothing more than a hollow promise used to make the University appear more diverse than it really is. We all deserve better than empty gestures. We deserve true and significant action that acknowledges the structural changes that are necessary in order to make our campus a safer place for everyone.

The first step towards reconciliation is to remove Graves's name from our building and call it Lucy-Foster Hall.

This institution's noncommittal stance toward racial reconciliation and diversity, in addition to its refusal to acknowledge the harm it has caused, continues to perpetuate a culture of racism at UA. It is unacceptable for the University to honor the accomplishments of Black people on campus in name only without subsequent action. The call to rename our buildings is not about image. It is about a real commitment to institutional change. How can we move forward, heal, and live up to our potential if we refuse to understand—fully understand—our past?

In previous years, students from the GRS department have outlined plans on how we, as the Capstone of Learning, could live up to our name. We’ve included on our website (www.uadeservesbetter.com) some of the requests student activists brought to the attention of leadership in the summer of 2020. We ask you now to consider that UA can only become an exemplar of learning in the South if we are able to fully acknowledge and reckon with our past. This is the University of Alabama, where legends are made, but we challenge you to ask: What will those legends be? What is our legacy to be?

For more detailed information on our vision for our campus and how you can help, visit: www.uadeservesbetter.com We hope you—whether you are an administrator, trustee, almuni, student, or faculty member—will sign this petition and join us in making UA a better place for all of us.