Student Group Calls For Two Towson University Dorms Named After Maryland Slave Owners To Be Renamed
TOWSON, Md. (AP/WJZ) — A group of Towson University students is calling on school officials to rename two campus dormitories that honor prominent Maryland politicians who owned slaves.
The student group "Tigers for Justice" has collected over 3,000 signatures on its online petition advocating for the renaming of Paca House and Carroll Hall.
Charles Carroll was one of Maryland's first U.S. senators and William Paca served as the state's third governor.
Former Maryland State Archivist Edward Papenfuse confirmed that the men, both signers of the Declaration of Independence, also were slaveholders.
Towson University spokesperson Sean Welsh said Thursday that the school had not received any formal requests for a withdrawal or renaming of the dormitories:
"We appreciate the concerns raised by this group of students. TU's Policy on Naming of Facilities and Academic Programs details the process for renaming a building or program. At this time, we have not received any formal requests for a withdrawal or renaming, as described in the policy, regarding this issue."
