Students attempted to rename the C.C. Little Science Building Sunday night by covering the sign with a new sign that read “Mary Henrietta Graham,” the first Black woman to attend and graduate from the University of Michigan. The University has since removed the sign.
The renaming attempt followed an LSA Student Government panel that discussed removing the name of former University president, C.C. Little, who worked in eugenics primarily against women of color. Protesters took to the panel and voiced their frustration over the lack of University buildings named after women of color and the honoring of a man who aided eugenics.
The University group Radfun, which describes itself as “radical anticapitalist deviants & forum of united nonconformists” posted a photo of the sign on Facebook with the caption “Our buildings should be named by us, and never named after the Oppressor!”
In an email statement, Radfun called for campus community members to start referring to it as the Mary Henrietta Graham Science Building.
“The decision for this name was based on research and support provided by several groups at UM that are implicated in the fight for social justice,” Radfun wrote. “We can speak to why our collective decided to support the name of MHG, which was because there has been a massive outcry against the naming of the CC Little building. Renaming it ourselves and after a woman of color makes the most sense because reclaims the right of marginalized to UM.”
The University hasn’t commented officially on the sign or its removal.
“We don’t know why the sign was removed, but it honestly make (sic) sense that they did because they only care about student dissent if it works for the brand they’re trying to protect,” Radfun stated.