To The Committee on Names and Others at the University,

During the Summer of this year, over 2,000 students and community members signed a petition demanding that the University remove the Frank Hume Memorial, also known as the “Whispering Wall” -- a Civil War memorial honoring Confederate soldier and Virginia politician, Frank Hume. It is our understanding that the University’s Board of Visitors has selected The Committee on Names to decide whether the University will rededicate or remove the Frank Hume Memorial. We are writing to ask that you choose to unequivocally remove the Whispering Wall in its entirety.

Devoting the same structure that has been erected for nearly a century to some other cause or person is not enough of an adjustment to denounce a treacherous history of violence and exploitation advocated for by the Confederacy. White supremacy is upheld as long as the memorial is still intact. The structure will always serve as a reminder that the racist ideals upheld by the Confederacy are also ideals the University is proud to preserve. The memorial was constructed in order to glorify this country’s racist, xenophobic, white supremacist history and has served as a racial fear-mongering tactic directed toward Black people until this day. Again, this memorial has stood as a symbol of hate and bigotry for almost 100 years.

Removing the Hume memorial in its entirety is an important step in signifying that UVA will no longer value white supremacist history over its Black students. We hope you will take the steps necessary to meet our demands and involve Black students in your decision making.

Best,

The Minority Rights Coalition

Organization of African Students

Asian Student Leadership Council

Muslim Student Association

Queer Student Union

UndocUVA

Muslims United

Political Latinxs United for Movement and Action in Society at UVA

Latinx Student Alliance

Native American Student Union