185 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

Testudo Times: Maryland's Byrd Stadium is named for a racist. Should that change?

http://www.testudoti...all-name-change

 

Seems like a good opportunity to make a change, and get another check from someone.

[DJ MC]

Either name it something like Terrapin Stadium, or name it after a person. If it's going to be "Capital One Field at Under Armor Stadium" just burn the damn thing to the ground and let them play games in the renovated Cole. Even Plank Stadium would be better.

 

Find someone important to the football program to name it after. Byrd wasn't just the university president, he's still the longest-tenured football coach in school history (18 years; only Claiborne and Friedgen made it even a full decade), so that's as much of the reason he received the honor.

 

It also probably should be pointed out that, sure, he might not have wanted minority students on campus, but without his leadership over that period the university may not have become the kind of place those students would want to attend. You can't just ignore the bad parts of history. Why not use the fact that the stadium keeps Byrd's name alive as much as anything else at UM to educate people on the whole story?

[BSLMikeLowe]

I'd probably be more inclined to leave it as is. It's a topic that can be uncomfortable, and everyone deserves to be heard on it. But as the article points out, it's more than just the stadium on campus that is named after someone who was a known segregationist. It would seem if you do it for one building, you ought to do it for everything else. And I'm not talking UM only....why not every state-owned building in MD that is named after someone who upheld segregation, or go back to anyone who had slaves?

[Pedro Cerrano]

Randy Edsall Arena.

[Chris B]

Either name it something like Terrapin Stadium, or name it after a person. If it's going to be "Capital One Field at Under Armor Stadium" just burn the damn thing to the ground and let them play games in the renovated Cole. Even Plank Stadium would be better.

 

Won't happen. There's a rule (I'm assuming some sort of state or university bylaw) that allows only one on-campus stadium/arena to be named for a corporate sponsor. Of course, that would be the XFINITY Center.

 

Now, the way to get around that is obviously naming the field (i.e. Capital One Field) but they will never be able to name it [enter corporate sponsor here] Stadium.

[BSLZackKiesel]

If schools renamed everything on their campus that was originally named for racist individuals, we'd be in for a whole lot of new building names across the country. Thomas Jefferson owned a bunch of slaves, is UVA going to stop their weird idol worship of him? No. Honestly though, I couldn't care less what they name the football stadium, the basketball arena, the buildings I go to class in, or the gym that I work in. I think there are a lot more pressing race issues on this campus than what we call the football stadium or the gym.

[BSLMikeLowe]

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

 

-George Santayana

 

It is possible to both honor Curley Byrd's contributions to UM, and to learn from his mistakes. If you try to erase him from history, you may end up doing neither.

[RShack]

Thomas Jefferson owned a bunch of slaves, is UVA going to stop their appropriate idol worship of him? 

 

Nobody's perfect.  Some come a whole lot closer than others.  As human beings go, TJ was pretty close.  His shortcomings are exactly the same as some of our nation's shortcomings... hard to be more American than that ... 

[BSLZackKiesel]

The Diamondback: Wallace Loh forms a work group to help consider renaming Byrd Stadium

http://www.diamondba...2ca19dd581.html

 

As I've said before, there are many other buildings on campus named after racists (Geary Eppley has the Rec Center, Millard Tydings has the primary BSOS building on the Mall). Unless you're re-naming all of these buildings, I don't see how much good simply re-naming the football stadium is going to do.

[You Play to Win the Game]

The Diamondback: Wallace Loh forms a work group to help consider renaming Byrd Stadium
http://www.diamondba...2ca19dd581.html
 
As I've said before, there are many other buildings on campus named after racists (Geary Eppley has the Rec Center, Millard Tydings has the primary BSOS building on the Mall). Unless you're re-naming all of these buildings, I don't see how much good simply re-naming the football stadium is going to do.

You have a point. So do you endorse changing them all... or none?

[Markus]

Are we also going to change the name of buildings named after our founding fathers?  What with them being slave-owners and all?

 

Seriously, where does it end?

[BSLZackKiesel]

You have a point. So do you endorse changing them all... or none?

I can't see the benefit of changing any of them. Thomas Jefferson owned slaves, are we re-naming the Jefferson Memorial? So did George Washington, how about his memorial? We're not celebrating these men for their racism, we're celebrating them for their accomplishments for the University, or, in the cases of Jefferson and Washington, the country. Re-naming these buildings won't do anything to help how we treat racial issues on this campus or in this country. It's not like racism magically disappears if we change up some plaques.

[DJ MC]

I can't see the benefit of changing any of them. Thomas Jefferson owned slaves, are we re-naming the Jefferson Memorial? So did George Washington, how about his memorial? We're not celebrating these men for their racism, we're celebrating them for their accomplishments for the University, or, in the cases of Jefferson and Washington, the country. Re-naming these buildings won't do anything to help how we treat racial issues on this campus or in this country. It's not like racism magically disappears if we change up some plaques.

 

[BSLMikeLowe]

Like I said above, changing the names of buildings (or tearing down monuments, or whatever) just starts you down a path with no end. I really believe you just have to find the right balance between honoring the contributions of these figures, but also not hiding (and hopefully learning) from their flaws. That's not easy. It never is.

[mweb08]

Like I said above, changing the names of buildings (or tearing down monuments, or whatever) just starts you down a path with no end. I really believe you just have to find the right balance between honoring the contributions of these figures, but also not hiding (and hopefully learning) from their flaws. That's not easy. It never is.

Can we at least get rid of Christopher Columbus monuments?

[DJ MC]

Can we at least get rid of Christopher Columbus monuments?

 

No, and for the same basic reason.

[mweb08]

Can we at least get rid of Christopher Columbus monuments?

 
No, and for the same basic reason.

Well I don't know much about the history of Bryd, but I'm all for getting rid of Columbus Day and his monuments. That type of stuff should be reserved for better examples of humankind.

[DJ MC]

Well I don't know much about the history of Bryd, but I'm all for getting rid of Columbus Day and his monuments. That type of stuff should be reserved for better examples of humankind.

 

There's a lot to be said about his character, or lack-of, but he still did something that no one had ever done before (sailing 3500 miles across open ocean) and, even if he wasn't the first Old-World explorer to reach the New World, was the primary means of exposure for both sides, for all of the good and bad that would eventually bring.

 

Columbus Day is mostly designed as an Italian-American holiday anyway--rename it Amerigo Vespucci Day, or Genoan Explorers Day, or something. But he should still be honored in many ways.

 

Besides, "Columbia" in all of its various forms is a pretty nice name for stuff.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Well I don't know much about the history of Bryd, but I'm all for getting rid of Columbus Day and his monuments. That type of stuff should be reserved for better examples of humankind.

 

When I was still in school, there was very little if any mention of the explorers that reached the Americas before Columbus. I'm sure you would know better, but hopefully that has changed. And just as importantly, I hope that both sides of him are being taught. But I still don't think trying to erase him from history is the answer.

 

Of course, it would be a perfect chance for Ohio to change the name of their capital to McKinley, since some of them are miffed about the Alaskan peak being renamed Denali.

[mweb08]

Well I don't know much about the history of Bryd, but I'm all for getting rid of Columbus Day and his monuments. That type of stuff should be reserved for better examples of humankind.

 
There's a lot to be said about his character, or lack-of, but he still did something that no one had ever done before (sailing 3500 miles across open ocean) and, even if he wasn't the first Old-World explorer to reach the New World, was the primary means of exposure for both sides, for all of the good and bad that would eventually bring.
 
Columbus Day is mostly designed as an Italian-American holiday anyway--rename it Amerigo Vespucci Day, or Genoan Explorers Day, or something. But he should still be honored in many ways.
 
Besides, "Columbia" in all of its various forms is a pretty nice name for stuff.

His accomplishment was at least partially an accident and had already been done in a different way.

But sure, it's noteworthy to say the least. However, he's simply not one to celebrate imo. He's the type of historical figure that students should be deciding and debating over whether he's worthy of that after being presented with multiple facets of his life. He shouldn't be held up as exemplary example of our history, which is what monuments and national days suggest.

Btw, I don't think the man of his place and time argument works as well for him as it does others.