Don’t take down FSU’s Francis Eppes statue, Sandy D’Alemberte says
Sandy D'Alemberte. (YouTube screen cap)

Sandy D'Alemberte

As Florida State University begins its look at its historical “campus names and markers, including statues,” former university president Sandy D’Alemberte isn’t convinced that the contentious statue of school founder Francis Eppes needs to come down.

“I’ve heard from several people who criticize Eppes and I think some of what they’re saying is right, but that doesn’t lead me to the conclusion that we need to take down the statue,” D’Alemberte told Florida Politics on Tuesday.

The statue of Eppes, a Leon County slave owner who lived 1801-81, was commissioned by D’Alemberte in the 1990s as part of “an overall campus improvement project,” a university website explains.

“I think what we need to do is a better job of explaining our history,” said D’Alemberte, now a law professor emeritus. He was FSU president in 1994-2003.

FSU President John Thrasher on Tuesday announced the “creation of a panel of university students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni to examine and make recommendations on current university policies concerning campus names and markers, including statues and other recognitions,” he said in a release.

“As we seek to become a more inclusive campus for all, it is essential that we continue to engage in dialogue and inquiry with the entire university community,” Thrasher said. “We must continue to examine our history in order to collectively build our future.”

“The creation of the panel follows Thrasher’s condemnation of last month’s hateful and violent acts by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, and his pledge to the FSU community to protect free speech while ensuring the safety and well-being of students, faculty and staff,” the release said.

Last October, the Tallahassee Democrat reported that FSU students “overwhelmingly defeated a proposal seeking the removal of a statue honoring former Leon County slave owner Francis Eppes from campus and the removal of his name from a campus building.”

The statue is on the campus’ Westcott Plaza. Eppes was the grandson of Thomas Jefferson, who also owned slaves.

D’Alemberte said, for instance, his office on campus is in a former home built by slaves.

He added that the university’s law school, of which he was once dean, is named after the late Florida Chief Justice B.K. Roberts, who wrote the court’s 1957 majority opinion to deny law school admission to an African-American student, Virgil Hawkins.

“I think we have a lot of things on campus that require more explanation,” D’Alemberte added. “Instead of removing them, let’s explain them … All of our histories are not entirely pure. That doesn’t mean some aspects of what we’ve done can’t be celebrated.”

The review panel will consist of “FSU undergraduate and graduate students, faculty members including Faculty Senate representatives, staff members and alumni representatives,” Tuesday’s release said.

“The panel will be charged with researching the issues, meeting and engaging with university constituencies to seek input and feedback, determining criteria for appropriate naming policies and, if necessary, recommending an appropriate process for renaming campus recognitions,” it added. “In the coming weeks, the university will launch a website to provide additional information and updates on the panel’s progress.”

Jim Rosica

Jim Rosica is the Tallahassee-based Senior Editor for Florida Politics. He previously was the Tampa Tribune’s statehouse reporter. Before that, he covered three legislative sessions in Florida for The Associated Press. Jim graduated from law school in 2009 after spending nearly a decade covering courts for the Tallahassee Democrat, including reporting on the 2000 presidential recount. He can be reached at [email protected].


3 comments

  • Julia

    September 5, 2017 at 3:37 pm

    Well, since that statue was erected in the 1990s, well after the events commemorated, it must mean that it was done with racist intent and that Sandy D’alemberte is a racist. Not only should Eppes be banished from the campus, but so should D’Alemberte. Can’t have a racist on campus, whether he’s in bronze or not.

  • Grateful

    September 8, 2017 at 10:01 pm

    Spoken like a true Antifa who doesn’t give a damn about America or her history. The Best solution is to do away with FSU because it was founded by a slave owner, de4cended from a slave owner. Better yet, let’s do away with America because a population of less than 1 % owned slaves.

  • Philip

    September 9, 2017 at 11:21 am

    Thanks for this. I hate destroying history, but love honoring those that created something good that carries a life thought to the day. Eppes helped established FSU. Without him, would there have been a college? Would it be as old and well established as it today? He gets honor for that, I believe he should still get honored for that. We should also be open on condemning slave ownership, and be transparent about those negative aspects of the man. Confederate monuments on the other hand honor something that does not exist anymore (except in the minds of a few). The Confederacy existed, so there fore it’s monuments belong in an historical park, not a capitol or a city hall, etc., My opinion.

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