General Discussion

struggle4progress

(118,379 posts) Fri Aug 21, 2015, 09:59 PM Aug 2015

Can we please stop naming things after racist figures? (The Cougar |Univ of Houston)

... Running through campus is Calhoun Road, a street named after former Vice President John C. Calhoun who was instrumental in annexing Texas into the United States.

Unfortunately, Calhoun is best known for his vehement assertion that slavery was a “positive good.”

In fact, his reason for wanting to annex Texas in the first place was because he believed that Texas’ annexation was imperative to preserving slavery in America ...

Knowing all this, The University of Houston should take the opportunity to reconsider giving Calhoun Lofts a name more suited toward a diverse, Tier One research university ...

http://thedailycougar.com/2015/08/20/can-we-please-stop-naming-things-after-racist-figures/

8 replies

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Can we please stop naming things after racist figures? (The Cougar |Univ of Houston) (Original Post) struggle4progress Aug 2015 OP

Not just Texas HassleCat Aug 2015 #1

Actually, there has been quite a bit of talk of renaming Lake Calhoun. The Velveteen Ocelot Aug 2015 #2

I guess they could name it Lake Snelling HassleCat Aug 2015 #3

There are a few biggish older houses around Calhoun but I wouldn't call them mansions. The Velveteen Ocelot Aug 2015 #4

That's true HassleCat Aug 2015 #5

It's still here, now called the Calhoun Beach Club. The Velveteen Ocelot Aug 2015 #6

Michigan has a Calhoun County named after him gollygee Aug 2015 #8

My youngest child is at Univ of Houston Gothmog Aug 2015 #7

HassleCat

(6,409 posts)

1. Not just Texas

Reply to struggle4progress (Original post)

Fri Aug 21, 2015, 10:06 PM

Aug 2015

Minneapolis has a lake named for him, but I bet they don't know the first thing about him.

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,894 posts)

2. Actually, there has been quite a bit of talk of renaming Lake Calhoun.

Reply to HassleCat (Reply #1)

Fri Aug 21, 2015, 10:22 PM

Aug 2015

I don't know whether it will ever happen but the idea has been kicking around for years. The lake was originally named for Calhoun because of his work in establishing Fort Snelling. http://www.startribune.com/lake-calhoun-name-change-gets-another-look-in-minneapolis/309249161/

HassleCat

(6,409 posts)

3. I guess they could name it Lake Snelling

Reply to The Velveteen Ocelot (Reply #2)

Fri Aug 21, 2015, 10:27 PM

Aug 2015

But people would think it was in that area. They could name it Lake of the Big Mansions. Better yet, they could translate "Lake of the Big Houses" into Ojibwa.

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,894 posts)

4. There are a few biggish older houses around Calhoun but I wouldn't call them mansions.

Reply to HassleCat (Reply #3)

Fri Aug 21, 2015, 10:30 PM

Aug 2015

You want mansions, you go out to the 'burbs and check out Lake Minnetonka.

HassleCat

(6,409 posts)

5. That's true

Reply to The Velveteen Ocelot (Reply #4)

Fri Aug 21, 2015, 10:49 PM

Aug 2015

What was considered a big house in the early to mid 1900s would be considered average today. Is Calhoun Beach Manor still there? That was pretty cool.