Statue of Thomas Jefferson will remain on Mizzou campus despite calls for removal
After more than 3,000 people signed a petition calling for its removal, University of Missouri leaders announced Friday that a statue of Thomas Jefferson on the Columbia campus will remain in place.
The announcement followed a Thursday night meeting between UM system president and interim MU chancellor Mun Choi, university administrators, university curators, leaders of the student group Legion of Black Collegians and Roman Leapheart, a student who started a change.org petition to remove the statue, according to a news release.
“The conversation was an example of the power of civil discourse and included discussion of complex issues and different perspectives,” Choi said in the release.
After discussing with “other curators,” Choi said, the university chose not to remove the statue.
“We learn from history. We contextualize historical figures with complex legacies. We don’t remove history,” he said in the release.
“We are committed to maintaining open lines of communication, including continuing conversations and learning from all involved.”
Calls for the removal of the statue cited the former president’s legacy as a slave owner.
“Mizzou has no room for a racist slave owner on our campus, in the Quad, where thousands of black students pass by everyday, forced to deal with imagery of the past in the future where we should be promoting equality, diversity and inclusion,” said the change.org petition, which had more than 3,300 signatures by Friday afternoon.
Leaphart, the student who started the petition, told The Star he was frustrated by the university’s decision but would continue to push for the removal of the statue.
“I’ve put a lot into this but I’m not giving up hope,” Leaphart said. “I believe too much in what I stand for.”
He declined to provide details about his conversations with university officials.
“Mizzou took what they needed to (from the meeting) to make their decision,” Leaphart said.
Students also petitioned to have the statue removed in 2015, when the student group Concerned Student 1950 held protests over the treatment of minority groups on campus.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
