Former, current Gamecock student athletes call on UofSC to take Strom Thurmond’s name off fitness center

The fitness center has been named after the former U.S. Senator since 2003

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) —Several former and current Gamecock athletes are calling on the University of South Carolina to change the name of the fitness center named after former U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond.

Gamecock Women’s Basketball Head Coach Dawn Staley said changing the name would help make the campus feel like a more welcoming place for all.

“I go to grocery stores and I talk to black people who say they will never step foot on this campus or they say the only time I’ll step foot on this campus is to come to your campus. If we create a campus where everyone feels like they’re a part of it, it will be a model of what the rest of the world should look like,” Staley said.

The university named its fitness center after Thurmond in 2003, after he donated $10,000 to the university.

Historians say Thurmond, who served as South Carolina’s governor from 1947 to 1951 and as a U.S. Senator from 1954-2003, was an outspoken supporter of segregation and ran on a segregationist platform for president in 1948.

Some student-athletes told ABC Columbia they learned about Thurmond in their U.S. History courses, and say what he stood for does not reflect the university’s mission.

“It’s a constant reminder that sometimes, you’re not really welcome in this world, and it wasn’t really built for us. I’m just hoping that we get some push towards changing the name and making students feel a lot more comfortable on campus,” said Kaden Briggs, a hurdler for the Gamecocks Track and Field team.

Several student-athletes spoke before the President’s Commission on University history Friday to discuss possibly changing the name.

One person who supports the athletes is university President Bob Caslen, who has suggested naming buildings after Black role models.

“He is committed to these things, and he wants to see us move forward and respect the voice of student athletes and what we bring to the table,” said Moe Brown, a former Gamecock wide receiver and current candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Brown, who was joined by several former and current student athletes at a press conference in front of the university’s fitness center Friday, said it’s time for the university to show that they support all members of their community.

“We’ve gotta get it done right now. He’s just not the appropriate person to be up there. And it’s not about Strom Thurmond himself, it’s about the symbols and ideas we aspire to and that we stay true to them,” Brown said.

A similar campaign took place at Clemson University, where after campaigning from former Tiger football stars and current NFL players Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins, the school changed the name of it’s honor college, which was named after former U.S. Vice President John C. Calhoun.

Thurmond currently has a statue on the grounds of the South Carolina State House, and has a high school in his hometown of Edgefield named after him.