ELJAZZAR: U.Va. must rename Alderman Library
The completion of Alderman Library’s renovation project has revived library life at the University. Its proximity to the Corner and Central Grounds, the opening of Saxby’s cafe and five floors of beautiful study spaces have combined to create an attractive hub for the University community. Now that Alderman has come to the forefront of student life, students must reconsider Edwin Alderman’s legacy. Alderman was a staunch eugenicist — a proponent of an immoral pseudoscience that argued for the genetic superiority of white Europeans over non-white people. The very goal, and reality, of eugenics was to enact concrete legislation that enshrined these racist conclusions. The library, as his living legacy, forces students to pay homage to this evil ideology every time we say the name. In memorializing Alderman’s name, we are upholding the values to which we no longer institutionally ascribe. Alderman library opened in 1938, a time when his name perhaps did reflect ideals of the time. But we have moved past those values. Our namesakes should reflect the values of our time. Therefore, the library must be renamed, not only to properly honor the University’s history, but also to reflect our changing values.