Winthrop University Retains Name Amid Calls for Change

Winthrop University Retains ‘Winthrop’ Name Amid Community Calls for Change

Boston, MA – Winthrop University will maintain the name “Winthrop” for its undergraduate residence, but will drop the first name “John,” following a thorough review process and extensive community feedback. This decision comes amidst ongoing discussions regarding historical ties to slavery connected to the name’s origins.

The review was initiated by a student petition launched in 2023, which gathered over 1,000 signatures urging the university to dename Winthrop House. The petition highlighted the historical associations of John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, with slavery, prompting a formal inquiry from the university’s administration.

Historically, John Winthrop enslaved at least seven individuals and participated in the sale of 17 prisoners as slaves during the Pequot War, according to historians. Additionally, his great-great-grandson, who was a Harvard professor, is believed to have owned two enslaved individuals.

A review committee was established to address these concerns, convening 22 times and engaging with more than 35 stakeholders. Participants included petitioners, Winthrop residents, alumni, descendants of the Winthrop family, and representatives from the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. After careful consideration, the committee concluded that while there were notable connections to slavery, the overall legacies of the individuals did not justify a complete renaming of the residence.

The decision to retain “Winthrop,” while excluding the first name, aligns with naming conventions seen in other Harvard Houses, which typically do not use first names. This change is intended to reflect the broader history of the entire Winthrop family rather than focus on any single historical figure.

Dename Winthrop, the student coalition advocating for the name change, expressed disappointment with the selected outcome but also recognized the efforts made by supporters of the petition in facilitating the review process. The committee’s recommendations have been accepted by Harvard President Alan M. Garber and Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra.

This decision comes at a time when there is a national debate surrounding the appropriateness of honoring individuals with documented links to racism and acts of injustice. The Winthrop naming discussion joins a number of similar controversies unfolding at Harvard, where calls to rename other buildings, such as Mather House and those associated with the Sackler family, are also being examined for their historical connections to slavery and more recent issues like the opioid crisis.

In light of the extensive dialogue about naming practices, student leaders are now committed to creating educational opportunities that engage the campus community with Winthrop’s complex history and legacy, emphasizing the importance of historical reckoning.

The growing momentum for renaming buildings at universities reflects a broader cultural movement that gained traction following the Black Lives Matter movement and ongoing conversations about systemic racism and historical injustices in America. This report highlights the significance of using these discussions as opportunities for reflection rather than outright erasure of uncomfortable histories.