An open letter to Iowa State University Black Faculty and Staff:

I think the time is overdue that we collectively make a statement about racism and the perpetuation of racism.

I speak first and foremost about the ongoing Carrie Chapman Catt controversy and the numerous letters in the Iowa State Daily and other local publications that seem to minimize the ugliness of racism by saying it was accepted during the time of Carrie Chapman Catt.

The question we must raise is, “Accepted by whom?”

Racism has never, not ever, been accepted by African-Americans. Why do you think men like Nat Turner and Gabriel Prosser gave their lives and women and men like Harriet Tubman, Ida Wells and Frederick Douglas spent a lifetime fighting the ugliness of racism?

For present-day scholars to tell students anything other than the complete truth surrounding this topic flies in the face of one of the major objectives of this University — the pursuit of truth with excellence.

Moreover, two of our primary methods in pursuit of this objective are inquiry (research) and open and honest debate, both of which, I think, have been violently abused by those who use the flimsy excuse that racism was once accepted.

Feared? Yes — by many of our grandparents. Accepted? No.

Thus, any attempt to appease students by falsely stating that such is true is a flagrant violation of academic freedom. If members of this University believe the fight for women’s suffrage was and is an honorable fight, state such.

I think most people would join them because it is an honorable and worthy cause; but do not, in the same sentence, attempt to minimize the ugliness of racism by saying it was acceptable in the time of Carrie Chapman Catt.

It never was. It never will be, and until we move collectively to eradicate it in every institution on the face of this earth, it will continue to divide us.

Initially, I personally and professionally thought that the University decision makers, with respect to this topic, made an open and honest mistake and did not know that by naming the building after a person who believed so strongly in white supremacy they would be endorsing and perpetuating racism; but their actions of recent have led me to believe there is more ugliness here than first perceived. I have to conclude that one of three things took place.

First, we failed to do our homework. Second, we did our homework but chose to overlook what we found. Third, we did our homework. We discovered what was there; but like Carrie Chapman Catt during her day, we chose to sacrifice the feelings and opportunities of African-Americans and other minorities by believing in white supremacy.

If the latter is true, then I think we have only scratched the tip of the iceberg of what happens when good people see bad things and do nothing — we set the climate where racism has the potential to foster, grow and continue to spread.

The University may think it is too late to be proactive; but it is never too late to do good.

With respect to this issue, we begin the good by casting our net more widely, including those voices we have not yet heard from.

Black Faculty and Staff: It is time for us to collectively speak up.

George A. Jackson

Assistant Dean

Graduate College

Iowa State University.