Mercer Times

The Princeton University Board of Trustees has made a decision regarding the statue of John Witherspoon, located in front of East Pyne Hall. The decision follows a two-year review process led by the Council of the Princeton University Community (CPUC) Committee on Naming.

The board expressed gratitude to the CPUC Committee for its thorough examination and application of principles related to renaming and campus iconography. Special thanks were extended to Professor Beth Lew-Williams, chair during this process, and Professor Angela Creager, interim chair for the 2022-2023 academic year.

The committee's report was informed by numerous listening sessions with various campus groups, as well as expert panels. The board has endorsed making these findings public. According to the committee's report, “This report contains important, new findings about John Witherspoon, his ties to slavery, and his larger legacy.”

The committee recommended providing viewers with information that offers a more complex history of Witherspoon than currently available on the statue’s plinth. It also suggested considering relocating the statue.

However, after deliberation, the board decided that questions about Witherspoon’s legacy do not justify removing or relocating the statue. The board's principles include a presumption against altering honorifics based on historical legacies. This presumption applies in this case.

Nevertheless, issues such as contextualization and educational uses of the statue need attention. These concerns have been referred to the Campus Art Steering Committee for further discussion without any predetermined outcomes.

Additionally, a periodic review policy applicable to prominent elements of campus art is recommended by an Ad Hoc Committee on Principles governing renaming and iconography changes. This includes sculptures like Witherspoon’s statue.

The trustees support initiating this review with the Witherspoon Statue under the Campus Art Steering Committee's guidance. This review should consider educational and aesthetic qualities alongside descriptions of campus artwork.

In line with recommendations from the Committee on Naming, Princeton University reaffirms its commitment to diversifying campus narratives and imagery proactively.

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