Rename JM Smith Hall at the University of Memphis
Rename JM Smith Hall at the University of Memphis
The Issue
The office of the president of the University of Memphis recently sent out an email outlining a plan to implement reform and change at the university to create a more welcoming environment. I believe an important part of these reforms is renaming the chemistry building, which is currently names JM Smith Hall. J. Millard Smith served as the university's president from 1946 until 1960, according to the marker on campus honoring his legacy. Despite being the first alumnus of the University of Memphis to also become its president, his legacy is in actuality an embarrassment to my university's history. The Supreme Court ruled Jim Crow laws unconstitutional by the mid 1950's, but in 1957 Laurie Sugarmon and Maxine Smith applied to Memphis State University and, despite their qualifications, were not granted admission. They demanded to speak with president Smith and found that he had no intention of desegregating MSU and he is directly quoted as having said "no blacks shall be admitted as long as I'm president." He stayed true to his word, and The Memphis State Eight's first year on campus was J. Millard Smith's final year as president. This is not a man who deserves to be honored with a marker or building named after him. I think this building should be renamed to honor either the Memphis State Eight or Emma Primous, the student who organized the first sit-in on campus in 1964.
I encourage anyone who signs this petition to also consider emailing the office of the president and Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Civil Rights and Social Change. Their emails and a draft to personalize and send are available through the link below.
This university is in one of the largest cities in Tennessee and Black Citizens make up almost 2/3 of the population, to immortalize the man who was so opposed to integration he left the university all together is extremely inappropriate and we have to do better.
The Issue
The office of the president of the University of Memphis recently sent out an email outlining a plan to implement reform and change at the university to create a more welcoming environment. I believe an important part of these reforms is renaming the chemistry building, which is currently names JM Smith Hall. J. Millard Smith served as the university's president from 1946 until 1960, according to the marker on campus honoring his legacy. Despite being the first alumnus of the University of Memphis to also become its president, his legacy is in actuality an embarrassment to my university's history. The Supreme Court ruled Jim Crow laws unconstitutional by the mid 1950's, but in 1957 Laurie Sugarmon and Maxine Smith applied to Memphis State University and, despite their qualifications, were not granted admission. They demanded to speak with president Smith and found that he had no intention of desegregating MSU and he is directly quoted as having said "no blacks shall be admitted as long as I'm president." He stayed true to his word, and The Memphis State Eight's first year on campus was J. Millard Smith's final year as president. This is not a man who deserves to be honored with a marker or building named after him. I think this building should be renamed to honor either the Memphis State Eight or Emma Primous, the student who organized the first sit-in on campus in 1964.
I encourage anyone who signs this petition to also consider emailing the office of the president and Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Civil Rights and Social Change. Their emails and a draft to personalize and send are available through the link below.
This university is in one of the largest cities in Tennessee and Black Citizens make up almost 2/3 of the population, to immortalize the man who was so opposed to integration he left the university all together is extremely inappropriate and we have to do better.
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The Decision Makers
Petition created on June 12, 2020