Thomas C. Williams’ name has been removed from the University of Richmond’s school of law, following a vote by the university’s board of trustees last week and as part of a larger effort to disassociate the legacy of slavery and racism from the campus.

Mr. Williams attended UR when it was still Richmond College from 1846 to 1849 and later served as a trustee during the 1880s. During his life, he operated tobacco businesses inside and outside Richmond through multiple companies, with 25 to 40 enslaved people reportedly owned as part of his enterprise.

The law school was established through donations from Mr. Williams’ family after his death, with UR naming the building after him in 1920.

“We recognize that some may be disappointed or disagree with this decision,” UR President Kevin Hallock and board members wrote in a message to UR last week. “We also recognize the role the Williams family has played here and respect the full and complete history of the institution.”

The change in the law school’s name, which will now be called the University of Richmond School of Law, followed the creation of a new policy for names on campus that prohibited the usage after those who engaged in or supported slavery.

This new policy came after UR students and faculty protested the lack of action when it came to buildings whose names were associated with segregation and slavery.

With this new renaming, UR has now changed the names of seven buildings on its campus in 2022 to remove connections to slavery, segregation and eugenics, including Brunet Hall, Freeman Hall, Jeter Hall, Puryear Hall, Ryland Hall and Thomas Hall.