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State law in South Carolina prevents public universities from changing the names of buildings without legislative approval. The measure was put in place amid a national push to remove honors for known racists of the past, some of whom have their names on prominent buildings at Clemson University and other public institutions in the state.
As a result, students are now circulating a petition to remove the name of John C. Calhoun (right), a lawmaker from South Carolina who fought to preserve slavery and white supremacy, from the honors college at Clemson. Students maintain that the name of an honors program is not covered by the law. By removing the name, the petition says, "the university would not be further glorifying a racist viewpoint on a campus that already exists under the scars of slavery and human degradation."
Clemson officials said they would have the petition reviewed by lawyers.
