Task Force Releases Report on Statuary on UT Austin Campus
The Task Force on Historical Representation of Statuary at UT Austin delivered its report to President Gregory L. Fenves on Aug. 10.
AUSTIN, Texas — The Task Force on Historical Representation of Statuary at The University of Texas at Austin delivered its report to President Gregory L. Fenves this morning. Fenves will review the report before making a decision about the statuary.
The report presents five options for Fenves' consideration. Four of the options include relocating one or more of the statues and an inscription west of the Littlefield Fountain to the university's Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, the Blanton Museum, the Texas Memorial Museum, the Harry Ransom Center, the Littlefield home, or an exhibit elsewhere on campus. The inscription pays tribute to the Confederacy and Southern patriotism, which swept the South during the early 1900s.
Option 1: Leave all statues in place and add explanatory plaques that would enhance the educational value of the statues and provide historical context.
Option 2: Relocate the statue of Jefferson Davis and the inscription near the Littlefield Fountain to an exhibit elsewhere on campus.
Option 3: Relocate the statues of Davis, Robert E. Lee, Albert Sidney Johnston and John Reagan and the inscription near the Littlefield Fountain to an exhibit elsewhere on campus.
Option 4: Relocate the statues of Davis, Lee, Johnston and Woodrow Wilson and the inscription near the Littlefield Fountain to an exhibit elsewhere on campus.
Option 5: Relocate six statues — Davis, Lee, Reagan, Johnston, Wilson and James Hogg — and the inscription near the Littlefield Fountain to an exhibit elsewhere on campus.
The task force held two public hearings on the UT Austin campus in July at which students, alumni, staffers, faculty members and members of the public offered their suggestions for the statues. In addition, more than 3,100 individuals completed an online questionnaire about the statues.
The 12-member task force presented its report to Fenves on Monday, Aug. 10.
"I thank Dr. Vincent and all of the task force members for their hard work in studying this issue and presenting these options to me," said Fenves. "I will thoroughly review the report and make a decision about the future of the Main Mall statuary."