The athletics director at the University of Virginia apologized after learning that a design element in the university’s new athletic logo has historical ties to slavery.
University of Virginia Athletic Director Carla Williams revealed a modified design to the logo on Monday after receiving criticism that the serpentine design that ran along the saber handle was based on architectural designs by Thomas Jefferson, a founding father who owned slaves.
“After the release of our new logos on April 24th, I was made aware of the negative connotation between the serpentine walls and slavery,” Williams said in a statement released by UVA. “I was not previously aware of the historical perspective indicating the original eight-foot-high walls were constructed to mask the institution of slavery and enslaved laborers from public view.”
Virginia Athletics Announces Changes to New V-Sabre and Cavalier Shield Logos
Details: https://t.co/x3jvXOyram#GoHoos | #Wahoowa ?? pic.twitter.com/R7xZcLkuuU— Virginia Cavaliers (@VirginiaSports) June 15, 2020
Historians have noted that in 1820, Thomas Jefferson, then president of the university, built 8-foot-high serpentine walls to muffle the sound of slaves and hide them from the public.
Williams said that while there was “no intent to cause harm,” she wanted to “apologize to those who bear the pain of slavery in our history.”
Sophomore Lauren Cochran said she believed the logo was designed to “glorify” the university’s ties to slavery and that many feel “emotional distress” when they see the serpentine design.
“When U.Va. Athletics decided to incorporate the walls into their logo designs, I felt as if they were attempting to ‘glorify’ past University wrongdoings,” Cochran said. “For many, this wall evokes stringent feelings of emotional distress and pain. As an African-American student who walks past these walls every day, I experience uncomfortable emotions relating to them.”
The move follows similar historical revisionism by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, who last week used an executive decision to call for the removal of a monument dedicated to the Confederate General of the Northern Army of Virginia Robert E. Lee.
