What’s in a name? When Carrie Chapman Catt is the name, members of the Iowa State community have varying opinions.

A forum for discussing the name of Catt Hall was sponsored yesterday in the Maintenance Shop by the Student Union Board. More than 60 people listened to discussion from Tai Coleman, a member of the September 29th Movement, and Jane Cox, an associate professor of music who has researched Catt.

Government of the Student Body PresidentPresident Adam Gold was invited to represent the student government on the panel but declined to attend.

“When I started [researching], I had no opinion about Carrie Chapman Catt one way or the other,” Cox said.

However, after reading from the archives of Iowa State, the Library of Congress and the New York Public Library and speaking to Catt’s relatives and others who heard her speak, Cox said she understands that some people “maybe don’t like her as a person,” but that they should definitely “respect some of the qualities of her character.”

She said Catt fought with integrity for women’s suffrage for 35 years, serving as elected president of national and international women’s suffrage organizations, working for peace and child labor laws, helping establish the U.N. and helping Jews escape Nazi countries.

But, Coleman said, “We never questioned her contributions to the woman’s suffrage movement, … but we do take issue with her using African-Americans as politically expedient to pass the 19th Amendment.”

Coleman cited many quotes in which Catt seems derogatory toward African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos and foreigners in general. Coleman quoted a passage addressed to Southern white supremacists.

In the quote, Catt cited population statistics to assure Southerners white supremacy would be strengthened rather than hurt by giving all women the vote because white women far outnumbered white men and also outnumbered the total black population.

Cox said despite this political strategy, when asked if Catt would consider taking black women out of the proposed amendment to get it passed, she refused, saying, “The amendment will go forward as it has always gone forward.”

“The intent of suffragist leaders was always to enfranchise all women,” Cox said. “She tried.”

Coleman disagreed.

“Carrie Chapman Catt does not represent all women,” Coleman said. “She does not represent me. By putting her name on that building, they make her the hero of all people on campus. I ask you, is it worth it to insult, alienate and oppress minority students on campus in that way?”

Coleman said supporters of Catt Hall’s name “are just trying to excuse her behavior.”

She also stressed “this is not a black issue.” It is an issue regarding diversity as a whole, she said.

When Catt Hall was named, “The name was not given just for Catt’s suffrage contributions,” Cox said, adding that Catt made many substantial contributions to society.

Also, while Cox conceded that racism was a part of the suffrage movement and that Catt did have negative views of Native Americans, influenced by the prevalent views as propagated in the media when she was growing up, later in her life Catt spoke about the need for fighting race and race conflict in order to eliminate war.

“I admire people who are willing to change their views,” Cox said. “In the best of all possible worlds, we would be born and live without ever saying a negative word to anyone.

“I don’t expect that of my friends or anyone.”

Cox said we need to learn to forgive people like Catt for their mistakes.

Coleman said we cannot forget what they did or justify racism.

“No hero in our society has no blemishes,” said Dave Faux, a sophomore in history, at the forum. “I think maybe we should go ahead and emphasize their positive influences, … and then go ahead and go the rest of the way toward equality.”