NEW HAVEN -- Hundreds of Yale University students protested Friday afternoon over the decision not to rename Calhoun College and the process for naming other residential colleges.
The New Haven Ivy League university announced the decision Wednesday via Twitter. The tweet says it’s keeping John C. Calhoun’s name to “teach and confront the history of slavery in the U.S.”
"I think that it's ridiculous that Calhoun should remain as a reminder of slavery as if some of us have forgotten," said Maya Jenkins, a Yale Sophomore who helped organize the protest.
Hundreds more students protested the school's president Thursday night. According to the Yale Daily News, University President Peter Salovey faced students in a town hall to discuss the decision to keep the name of a residential college named for19th-century alumnus John C. Calhoun, who was an ardent supporter of slavery.
Students threw fake money to show their opposition to the school's decision to name a new residential college for Ben Franklin after the suggestion was made by a major donor.
The administration has ignored the suggestions we've given them and used some of those suggestions but largely they've left a lot of our demands unanswered," said Katie McCleary, a Yale Sophomore organizer.
Students also protested the decision to name the new residential college for Ben Franklin after it was suggested by Charles Johnson an alumni who donated $250 million in one of the largest donations the university has ever received.