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Indiana University considers removing segregationist's name from building
By Chris Cottrell on 4/30/07
What do a Saudi-Arabian arms dealer and a bigot from Indiana have in common? They both sat on the boards of trustees at two accredited American universities and have had campus sport complexes named after them.
At Indiana University, the sports complex adjacent to the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, bears the name of Judge Ora L. Wildermuth - a president of the board of trustees at IU from 1938 to 1949 and active segregationist.
Wildermuth's name resurfaced on April 10 after Indiana Daily student journalist Andrew Shaffer reported about segregationist remarks found in an old letter from Wildermuth to IU Comptroller Ward G. Biddle regarding IU's African American student body.
In the letter, Wildermuth wrote,"So few of them succeed and the average of the race as to intelligence, economic status and industry is so far below the white average that it seems to me futile to build up hope for a great future."
Wildermuth further highlighted his stance on racial integration by writing, "I am and shall always remain absolutely and utterly opposed to the social intermingling of the colored race with the white. I belong to the white race and shall remain loyal to it. It always has been the dominant and leading race."
The information was found as Shaffer was reading a book wherein he came across a few quotes from Wildermuth, according to Mike Sanserino, the sports editor for the Indiana Daily Student.
In the article, which appeared on the Daily Student's April 10 issue, Shaffer called for a presentation before the board of trustees by the university President Adam Herbert regarding changing the namesake of the Ora L. Wildermuth Intramural Center.
Herbert commended Shaffer for his journalistic work, according to Sanserino, and mentioned that he had already made arrangements to address the issue in front of the board of trustees. In a second response, Herbert claimed he was "disappointed, but not surprised, that such views were promulgated by a leading Indiana citizen at that point in history."
At Indiana University, the sports complex adjacent to the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, bears the name of Judge Ora L. Wildermuth - a president of the board of trustees at IU from 1938 to 1949 and active segregationist.
Wildermuth's name resurfaced on April 10 after Indiana Daily student journalist Andrew Shaffer reported about segregationist remarks found in an old letter from Wildermuth to IU Comptroller Ward G. Biddle regarding IU's African American student body.
In the letter, Wildermuth wrote,"So few of them succeed and the average of the race as to intelligence, economic status and industry is so far below the white average that it seems to me futile to build up hope for a great future."
Wildermuth further highlighted his stance on racial integration by writing, "I am and shall always remain absolutely and utterly opposed to the social intermingling of the colored race with the white. I belong to the white race and shall remain loyal to it. It always has been the dominant and leading race."
The information was found as Shaffer was reading a book wherein he came across a few quotes from Wildermuth, according to Mike Sanserino, the sports editor for the Indiana Daily Student.
In the article, which appeared on the Daily Student's April 10 issue, Shaffer called for a presentation before the board of trustees by the university President Adam Herbert regarding changing the namesake of the Ora L. Wildermuth Intramural Center.
Herbert commended Shaffer for his journalistic work, according to Sanserino, and mentioned that he had already made arrangements to address the issue in front of the board of trustees. In a second response, Herbert claimed he was "disappointed, but not surprised, that such views were promulgated by a leading Indiana citizen at that point in history."
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