London University Renames Some Buildings

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The University College London (UCL) has decided to rename three of its buildings. The university decided to change the names of two theaters and one building that were originally named after Francis Galton and Karl Pearson, who were scientists and prominent advocates of eugenics. The new names for the Galton Lecture Theatre, Pearson Lecture Theater, and Pearson Building are Lecture Theatre 115, Lecture Theatre G22, and North-West Wing, respectively. In 1883, Galton coined the term eugenics, which refers to the practice of selecting people with good genes and having them reproduce to improve the human race. Galton presented UCL with his personal collection and archive, along with a fund for the country’s first eugenics professorial chair, which was granted to Pearson. In 2018, UCL President Michael Arthur announced that the university started to reevaluate its historical ties with eugenics and the practice’s impact on the members of the UCL community. This came after concerns were raised about how the eugenics movement condoned racism. Such concerns led the university to consider whether or not its buildings should still be named after Galton and other eugenicists. According to Arthur, UCL’s problematic history with eugenics creates an unwelcoming atmosphere for some members of its community. He added that the decision to rename the buildings is just one step to address the concerns raised, but there is still much that needs to be done. Following the renaming of the buildings, all signs and maps related to the buildings’ namesakes will be taken down as soon as possible.