Changes to the Harvard Law School seal, which displays the crest of a slaveholding family, are in order.
On Monday, Harvard Corporation agreed for the Law School to remove and replace its seal, after a recommendation on March 4 made by a Law School committee of students, faculty, staff and alumni.
According to The Harvard Crimson, the motion to reconsider the seal began with the student-led “Royall Must Fall” movement last fall, named for Isaac Royall Jr., who endowed Harvard’s first law professorship. Students argued that keeping the seal would symbolize the history of the Royall Plantation and endorse a legacy of slaveholding.
The Corporation’s decision follows a series of increased attention to historical names and titles on Harvard’s campus. Last month Harvard College’s newly-renamed "Faculty Deans" voted to remove the title of “House master” because of negative racial connotations associated with the word “master.”
Such changes call into question whether movements to change historic names do more harm than good, by erasing memories rather than remembering and learning from them.
Official removal of the seal is expected by mid-April.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.