WACO, Texas — Baylor University's campus is full of history — history the university is working to more thoroughly represent.
The history between Baylor University and minorities is controversial due to ties to things like slavery.
”We, particularly as a Christian university, have a responsibility to do this work, because Christians played such a role in justifying and perpetuating slavery,” said Special Advisor to the President for Equity and Campus Engagement, Rev. Dr. Malcolm Foley.
The university has already started honoring some of that history with statues representing the first Black graduates.
In the near future, there will be a wall dedicated to enslaved people that helped construct Baylor's original campus.
Local students are happy to see their university taking steps to acknowledge the past.
”I think it’s really good and important, because I feel like it’s not acknowledged as much as it should be,” said Baylor freshman, Ilania Powell.
”So that students actually know what they’re getting into, students know the history of their campus, the buildings on campus — I think that’s very important,” said Baylor student, Brent Cabote.
The location of the new monument is intentional.
”It’s placed in the middle of Founders Hall, because we want to recognize, specifically, those founders of the university who have not been named or recognized in any formal way,” Rev. Dr. Foley said.
The university is taking steps in the right direction, but there is always more that can be done.
”Seeing tabling and seeing events happening around campus, I think, can really widen your range of view and widen your perspective,” Cabote said.
Students would also like to see more open discussions about race.
”Maybe, like, bring more awareness to what’s actually happening," Powell said.
The plan is to break ground in February and hopefully, by the end of next year, this new monument will be ready for the students at Baylor University.
