You can’t make this up: a public university has declared a rock racist. Literally: a rock.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison announced plans to remove a large boulder from their campus, after students complained it was a “symbol of racism.”
The issue? In a 1925 news article, the 70-ton boulder was referred to as a “n***erhead.” At the time, that phrase had been a common term for any large dark rock.
The 1925 article in the Wisconsin State Journal appears to be the only time the rock was ever referred to by that term.
The rock has always been officially called Chamberlin Rock, in honor of Thomas Chamberlin, a geologist and former president of the university. It had never been called anything differently by the university or by students.
However, because of one 95-year-old news article, the university declared that the rock must be removed. They vote was unanimous.
It’s unclear where the university will relocate the rock.
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