After pressure from Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson changes name of Calhoun Honors College

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Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins spoke. And Clemson University listened.

Days after the Texans quarterback and his former teammate, now a Cardinals receiver, publicly objected to the ongoing attachment of John C. Calhoun to the university founded by his son-in-law, Calhoun Honors College will have a new name.

Via Matt Connolly of The State, a special Friday morning meeting of the Board of Trustees resulted in a vote to change the name.

“Board members have felt and feel that it is important to address this matter now rather than what until July due to the recent events happening across our country,” Clemson Board of Trustees Chairman E. Smyth McKissick said. “No one can watch what happened to George Floyd in Minneapolis and not be outraged. That terrible death and other incidents across our country reinforced that we all still have work to do, and that includes Clemson.”

Calhoun, who served as Vice President of the United States from 1825-32, strongly supported slavery, saying that it “was not an ‘evil,’ but rather a ‘positive good.'”

“Clemson University should not honor slave owner John C. Calhoun in any way,” Watson wrote on Twitter earlier this week. “His name should be removed from all University property and programming. I am joining the students, faculty & DeAndre to restart this petition to rename the Calhoun Honors College.”

“I felt this oppressive figure during my time at Clemson and purposely do not mention the University’s name before NFL games because of it,” Hopkins added. “I am joining the voices of the students and faculty who have restarted this petition to rename the Calhoun Honors College.”

Kudos to Clemson for taking meaningful action, regardless of the consequences. There surely will be consequences, with alumni undoubtedly refusing to contribute money to the school or otherwise railing about radical efforts by the forces of political correctness to erase history, or whatever word stew will be spewed because Clemson no longer will acknowledge and honor someone who was clearly on the wrong side of the issue, and on the wrong side of history.

And history will look kindly on Clemson for ignoring those consequences and doing the right thing. Hopefully, others who are in a position to do the right thing in this moment in history will be inspired by Clemson’s decision and take similar action.