Sully Statue Relocated to Front of People’s Minds

This article originally appeared in The Mugdown’s Fall 2020 print edition. To view a digital copy of the print edition, click here.

Last week, Texas A&M University officials held a town hall regarding the location of the Sullivan Ross statue. Upon the conclusion of this town hall, they settled upon relocating the Sully statue to the front of people’s minds.

Amidst the national Black Lives Matter movement, many systemic racial issues have been brought to light. This movement has called for the evaluation of historical statues across the U.S. that have roots in the confederacy and racial injustices. The racist history of some characters has caused even the good deeds of some to be shrouded in a negative light.

Texas A&M became a topic of interest due to the presence of the statue of ex-Confederate States Army General and former university president Lawrence Sullivan ‘Sully’ Ross, which sits in the heart of the campus. Sully’s controversial history has created a divide among Aggies, and current and former students have spoken out regarding the issue.

“I don’t understand why we still have the statue of a confederate general on our campus. The confederacy wasn’t even around very long. At this point, I’ve been enrolled in this school longer than the confederacy lasted,” said Alice Wallace, a 6th-year senior. “They should put up a statue of me due to how much money I’ve raked over to this place.”

“In my day, we made sure to keep as many Lincoln’s at the feet of our great confederate gener- uh, I mean university president, as possible to ensure we passed our classes,” Henry Diston ’60 said. “Sully was a great president who saved this flawless university. He even gave African Americans the opportunity to attend an equal university — separate from ours, of course.”

President Michael K. Young issued a statement regarding the next steps to addressing the campus climate regarding racism. “We recognize the divide among Aggies and are heartbroken at the current climate of our campus. My team and I are actively doing everything we can to review these issues. We know that this still isn’t enough, but we hope to take steps to make this university as inclusive as possible. I am releasing the current efforts that we will be pursuing in this matter. This is not an attempt to stall,” said Young, pocketing a wad of $100 bills from a class of 1972 representative.

These efforts included discussions for action on race relations, erecting a statue of Matthew Gaines, recruiting more underrepresented students, and issuing anti-discrimination bystander intervention training, among other initiatives. Many current students continued to request more immediate and conclusive action, while rumors from the Association of Former Students indicate many donors’ intentions to withdraw money should the statue be removed. It is unknown which of these influences will carry more weight.

“As we navigate these trying times, it is important to remember the power and unity that comes with the Aggie Spirit,” Young said. “As Aggies, we all hold a unique connection from experiencing Aggieland. I will provide updates as they are available, but in the meantime, I am glad that we could move Sully to the front of our minds.”

 

— Longboard of Regents