Thread by @ItsBritForbes

going to be live tweeting the LSU Board of Supervisors meeting regarding the Middleton name change in 3 minutes. Stay tuned! @lsureveille

after a late start, Mary Werner began the meeting with prayer and Gideon Adeyemo with the Pledge of Alleigiance

Students in the meeting are now being asked to speak about their impact and studies.

.@lsusgprez is now a newly elected member of the board of supervisors.

.@LouisianaGov is present for the meeting.

“In 2020 we value diversity. Diversity among our students staff and faculty and we want every student without exception to feel welcome to feel valued and respected. We have to engage in hard, uncomfortable conversation.” .@LouisianaGov

“We cannot change the past but neither should we live in it. We have the power and ability to right wrongs and move forward. This is the opportunity to do just that and be on the right side of history.” .@LouisianaGov on why the LSU library name should be changed

There were 25 submissions for public comment for this virtual meeting.

.@StaciaHaynie brings item 1 to request to remove name for University Property. Woody Jenkins, a friend of the Middleton family, is giving comment.

Jenkins knew Middleton, saying Middleton’s first quest pressed for a new library. “He instituted many changes and urged the governor himself to hire more black members to his staff and led the fight to integrate the state police,” Jenkins said.

“Everyone who knows WW2 history. Troy Middleton player one of the most important roles. His men discovered one of the first concentrations camps where the Jews were being exterminates,” Jenkins said.

“With Troy Middleton there’s so much to be proud of. I don’t think any students should be ashamed of Troy Middleton when you take the whole context of his career and saving our country,” Jenkins said.

Katrina Dunn, president of LSU alumni chapter, says she and the organization strongly support the removal of the name of Troy Middleton. “The racist and segregationist stance were fundamentally at odds with the university current commitment that advocates for social justice.”

A.P Tureaud was subjected to so much racist encounters, he left after his first semester and did not return for nearly 40 years, Dunn said.

“Today, we have a chance to take another step forward in the long journey of becoming a more inclusive and welcoming university,” .@lsusgprez

“The students are ready for this. They’re ready for real substantial change to take place on this campus. And I expect myself and the board & the administration to continue moving forward to make changes on this campus and for our students,” .@lsusgprez

“While I’m sorry for the pain that obviously the Middleton family has felt. There’s not an equivalency in my view for the pain suffered by my black friends and by our black students,” Robert Damph said.

“Pushing past oppression is what’s best for all,” James Williams said.

One emailer told James Williams that renaming the library “disrespects and disparages her Southern Heritage.”

Mary Werner is giving closing comments. She said she’s received hundreds of messages from proud LSU alumni, men and women of different generations.

“I cannot stand in the shoes of my colleagues. I come to this conversation as a white woman who as an adult began to understand the words ‘white privilege’ for I had never had a door shut to me due to the color of my skin,” Werner said.

“In the year 2020, we once again find ourselves as people did in the 1950s, 60s, in the 70s, looking at our past and reconciling difficulty,” Werner said.

She thanks everyone for reaching out to the board to offer their comments, thoughts and suggestions. She says the board has read all of them. Werner endorses the removal of the name of Troy Middleton from the LSU library

Without objection, the resolution to remove Troy Middleton’s name from the library is APPROVED.