WACO, TEXAS (KXXV) — Baylor University dedicated its new "Memorial to Enslaved Persons" on Friday, creating a space for reflection and remembrance in the heart of campus.
The memorial is deliberately placed on Founders Mall between Pat Neff Hall and Waco Hall. It incorporates a fountain, a reflection space under the campus' iconic trees, and a plaza depicting the counties surrounding the Brazos River during the era of slavery that Baylor's founders were part of.
"The incompatibility of Baylor's Christian mission, and its roots in slavery, require a reckoning with this legacy," Baylor University President Linda Livingstone said.
The memorial was designed by Sasaki Architectural Design, with architect Ian Scherling noting the project's unique significance to the university.
"Baylor's story was really compelling to us. It's a project that could only exist at Baylor, and in this place at Baylor," Scherling said.
Patrick Carley, Baylor's associate vice president of facilities and operations, described the memorial as connecting different eras.
"This is a great testimony linking the past with the present, and with the future," Carley said.
Michael McFarland from the Commission on Historic Campus Representations emphasized the memorial's deeper meaning.
"It's more than stone and steel. It is a testament of truth, courage and reconciliation," McFarland said.
The memorial was constructed from Texas limestone, selected for both its appearance and durability to ensure its beauty and lessons endure for generations.
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