Washington & Lee University in Virginia tore down a plaque honoring Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s horse, for whom the school is partially named.
The plaque honoring Traveller, which hung over the horse’s burial site, has been removed a number of distances from its place in front of the Lee Chapel, which is a National Historic Landmark.
In July, the school removed the plaques that marked the room where Lee took his oath of office as president of the school in 1865 and the other plaque his office from 1865 to 1868.
In 2021, the school announced a plan dedicated to the concepts of diversity, equality and inclusion that stripped the school of much of its overall impact.
They announced plans to cancel Founders Day – which took place on Lee’s birthday – and rename a chapel dedicated to him, while rejecting racism.
Washington & Lee University in Virginia tore down a plaque honoring Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s horse, for whom the school is partially named
In July, the school removed the plaques that marked the room where Lee took his oath of office as president of the school in 1865 and the other plaque his office from 1865 to 1868
The Traveler plaque was installed in 1930 by a chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy
“We have reviewed campus symbols, names and practices and are making changes to address doubts about our separation from the Confederacy and the Lost Cause,” the university board of trustees said in the plan.
The Traveler plaque was installed in 1930 by a chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
It read: “The Last Home of Traveller.” Through war and peace, the loyal, devoted, and beloved horse of General Robert Lee. Placed by the Virginia Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy.
The horse lived in the stables next to the President’s house from 1869 to 1871, a year after Lee died at the school’s President’s house.
According to The W&L Spectator, every Washington & Lee president since then has lived in the house and used the stables as a garage.
The school also replaced a plaque at the horse’s gravesite honoring the horse with one that deleted all mention of the Confederacy and General Lee.
University spokesman Dewry Sackett told The College Fix the decision was made a year ago.
Kamron Spivey, the president of Students For Historical Preservation, said it was a disregard for campus history.
Founded in 1749, the school was originally called Augusta Academy, but changed its name several times
The plaque honoring Traveller, which hung over the horse’s burial site, has been removed a number of distances from its place in front of the Lee Chapel, which is a National Historic Landmark
“People like to hear stories about animals because they don’t do anything wrong.” “That’s how Traveler became part of campus history,” Spivey said. “He was a faithful horse whose beauty and loyalty, according to Robert E. Lee, would inspire poets.” “Until this month, the horse seemed to bother very few people.”
People often left apples, a favorite treat of the horses, on Traveler’s grave.
“Because of a misjudgment of Lee’s contributions and positive legacy as an educator, university officials believe that any mention of the man is hurting student enrollment.” added.
‘[T]The university should keep the original markings. “If the goal is to contextualize a historic site, there is no better place than the original site where they were built.”
Founded in 1749, the school was originally called Augusta Academy, but changed its name several times.
When George Washington donated stock in 1796 that helped establish the school’s endowment, the university was called Liberty Hall Academy. To honor the donation, the school changed its name to the Washington Academy and became Washington College in 1813.
Four months after his defeat by Ulysses S. Grant—ending the Confederacy’s brief existence—Robert E. Lee was appointed president of the college in 1865. He served five years before his death and is buried in a mausoleum in the Lee Chapel on campus.
At the time of his death, the school added his name.
The school also replaced a plaque at the horse’s gravesite honoring the horse with one that deleted all mention of the Confederacy and General Lee
The new plaque makes no mention of General Lee or the Confederacy
People often left apples, a favorite treat of the horses, on Traveler’s grave
The university has been in talks to remove the name since August 2017, when white supremacists marched near Charlottesville. Then-President William C. Dudley rejected the idea and formed a committee to issue a formal report on why the decision was made.
While the committee said the school should recognize that Lee supported slavery and wanted only white men at the school, it also decided that the school should keep the “Generals” name for its athletic teams.
However, it was announced in the 2021 Diversity Plan that the Board of Trustees rejected a name change by a vote of 22 to 6.
After the Civil War ended, black students did not enroll in the school for nearly a century. Dennis Haston, the first African American student, enrolled in 1962.
As late as 1852 the school owned slaves.