Tulane’s Victory Bell and Confederate connection

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golfnut69
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Dear Tulane Community,

In 2015, we formed the Presidential Commission on Race and Tulane Values with the goal of fostering an environment in which respect, inclusion and human dignity are embraced by all members of our campus community.

In light of our efforts to advance inclusivity and raise our cultural consciousness, we were deeply saddened to learn last week that the university's Victory Bell, forged in 1825, was originally a plantation bell. Plantation bells were used to direct the movements of enslaved Africans throughout their day.

Our historical archives confirmed the origins of the bell and that the bell came to Tulane in 1960-61. For decades it was rung to celebrate Tulane basketball victories. In 2011, the bell was installed in front of McAlister Auditorium. Hands touched and hearts embraced what had become a symbol of the Tulane spirit. It is terribly disheartening to learn that it is, in fact, a vestige of a horrific part of our nation's past. Now that we understand its history as an instrument of slavery, continuing to use this bell in a celebratory manner would run counter to our values as a university community.

Earlier today, we moved the bell to storage while we continue to conduct an in-depth investigation of its exact origins. As an academic institution, we believe it is important to find a way to use this bell to further our knowledge and understanding of slavery and pursue a more just society.

We have also moved to form a special committee comprised of board members, students, faculty, alumni and staff to recommend what should replace the Victory Bell in the central location in front of McAlister Auditorium. In doing so, we hope to establish a new tradition that truly represents a victory for all.

Although we have made real progress in building a university that better reflects our community and our highest values, the bell’s newly discovered past is a powerful reminder that the most tragic and painful elements of our nation's history continue to echo through our communities. It is also a reminder that we must be ever vigilant, ever humble and ever open to examining our own beliefs and practices as we continue to foster a more inclusive community.


Doug Hertz
Chair, Board of Tulane

Mike Fitts


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anEngineer
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It's an inanimate chunk of iron. It knows NOTHING of ANYTHING. Maybe we should retract the degrees of anyone who has rung the bell. Maybe we should burn down Devlin Fieldhouse since the bell has been rung there in celebration. Maybe the entire school should be leveled since it has now been determined to be a "tool of slavery". Where does this ever end? If we find a 300-old-tree where a slave (or anyone else) was mistreated, should we cut the tree down? Who's life is improved by removing the bell?
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Just replace that old bell with the one that Tulane just won back from USM at the Armed Forces Bowl. You could check with the Navy ROTC unit across the street to see if they have some old ship's bell from WW2, Korea, or Vietnam.
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What a sad former University.
golfnut69
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too bad, that something that was used during a terrible part of Louisiana history, was now being used to celebrate the victories of ALL Students, no matter their race or relgion.....Talk about small minded "leadership(?)"....
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anEngineer wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 2:20 pm It's an inanimate chunk of iron. It knows NOTHING of ANYTHING. Maybe we should retract the degrees of anyone who has rung the bell. Maybe we should burn down Devlin Fieldhouse since the bell has been rung there in celebration. Maybe the entire school should be leveled since it has now been determined to be a "tool of slavery". Where does this ever end? If we find a 300-old-tree where a slave (or anyone else) was mistreated, should we cut the tree down? Who's life is improved by removing the bell?
Where does it begin?

I don’t see a whole lot of people being negatively effected by the bells’s removal. But imagine a BBall team made up of 95% african americans having to ring a bell used for slavery. Idk, that would not be cool if I was a black player.
golfnut69
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Break out the torches ..the Prez's mansion is next to go
https://tulanehullabaloo.com/41022/news/zemurray/
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golfnut69 wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 3:08 pm too bad, that something that was used during a terrible part of Louisiana history, was now being used to celebrate the victories of ALL Students, no matter their race or relgion.....Talk about small minded "leadership(?)"....
I agree this would have been a solid direction to go. Getting rid of the bell and just replacing it is probably a path of least resistance. As far a zemmurray/United Food, no ones knocking anything down. If you want to take his name and families name off of buildings that’s fine by me. I’m sure they don’t want to given his family probably still has $$$$ they could donate.
mbawavefan12
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golfnut69 wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 3:33 pm Break out the torches ..the Prez's mansion is next to go
https://tulanehullabaloo.com/41022/news/zemurray/
Silly comparison. A bell vs a mansion with history hosting diverse students.
This is the issue with this monument nonsense. It somehow becomes all or nothing for both fringe sides. Sad.
mbawavefan12
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Bicoastalwave wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 4:09 pm
golfnut69 wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 3:08 pm too bad, that something that was used during a terrible part of Louisiana history, was now being used to celebrate the victories of ALL Students, no matter their race or relgion.....Talk about small minded "leadership(?)"....
I agree this would have been a solid direction to go. Getting rid of the bell and just replacing it is probably a path of least resistance. As far a zemmurray/United Food, no ones knocking anything down. If you want to take his name and families name off of buildings that’s fine by me. I’m sure they don’t want to given his family probably still has $$$$ they could donate.
Seems so simple to put the bell in the TU museum explaining its history. Solves all issues.
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mbawavefan12 wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 3:09 pm ...imagine a BBall team made up of 95% african americans having to ring a bell used for slavery. Idk, that would not be cool if I was a black player.
This. A thousand times this.
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tpstulane
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Hypocrisy. Paul Tulane’s family made their fortune on the back of slaves. Political Correctness at its finest.
http://www.tulanelink.com/tulanelink/tulanepast_box.htm
Tulane University would never have existed were it not for the 19th-century philanthropist Paul Tulane's connections to slavery. Such links date back at least to Paul Tulane's father, Louis, who made his fortune employing slave labor in Haiti. When a violent slave rebellion forced Louis to leave Saint Domingue and move to New Jersey, he had already amassed enough capital to purchase a massive estate near Princeton. Thus, when young Paul Tulane moved to New Orleans in 1822, he had the advantage of a cushion of financial support directly linked to slavery.
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mbawavefan12
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tpstulane wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 8:06 pm Hypocrisy. Paul Tulane’s family made their fortune on the back of slaves. Political Correctness at its finest.
http://www.tulanelink.com/tulanelink/tulanepast_box.htm
Tulane University would never have existed were it not for the 19th-century philanthropist Paul Tulane's connections to slavery. Such links date back at least to Paul Tulane's father, Louis, who made his fortune employing slave labor in Haiti. When a violent slave rebellion forced Louis to leave Saint Domingue and move to New Jersey, he had already amassed enough capital to purchase a massive estate near Princeton. Thus, when young Paul Tulane moved to New Orleans in 1822, he had the advantage of a cushion of financial support directly linked to slavery.
Right, washington and jefferson had slaves. This is a simple question, a monument is different than an institution that is currently inviting to all. Removing that bell shows decency, removing an institution is absurd.
This is not complicated. Stop acting like the removal of a bell will result in total leftist nonsense.
.
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ajcalhoun
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How did it take 60 years to find out where that bell came from?
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MicMan
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Sounds like an example of the bell ringing the school...

When I visited TU as a high school senior, just after Sheldon Hackney left but before Eamon Kelly arrived, I made my only visit to the Zemurray manse to visit the student body president, Dave Somebody, who was squatting there. I later lived in Zemurray dorm, where each room had its own sink.
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Just to be clear the bell in question is not the one we have been using after basketball games since Conroy brought its use about. In fact when he brought that bell back we were told it would be brought to all of our sporting events to be used after wins. That never happened. As to the bell in question I have been going to Tulane basketball games since the early 60's. I don't recall it being used after basketball victories.
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tpstulane
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mbawavefan12 wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 8:25 pm
tpstulane wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 8:06 pm Hypocrisy. Paul Tulane’s family made their fortune on the back of slaves. Political Correctness at its finest.
http://www.tulanelink.com/tulanelink/tulanepast_box.htm
Tulane University would never have existed were it not for the 19th-century philanthropist Paul Tulane's connections to slavery. Such links date back at least to Paul Tulane's father, Louis, who made his fortune employing slave labor in Haiti. When a violent slave rebellion forced Louis to leave Saint Domingue and move to New Jersey, he had already amassed enough capital to purchase a massive estate near Princeton. Thus, when young Paul Tulane moved to New Orleans in 1822, he had the advantage of a cushion of financial support directly linked to slavery.
Right, washington and jefferson had slaves. This is a simple question, a monument is different than an institution that is currently inviting to all. Removing that bell shows decency, removing an institution is absurd.
This is not complicated. Stop acting like the removal of a bell will result in total leftist nonsense.
.
Just pointing out the hypocrisy. How come no name change? Other New Orleans schools changed names that were connected to slavery. Just pointing it out not suggesting it.
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Tulane has bigger problems than that stupid bell. 2nd class weight room, embarrassing gym to name a few.
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golfnut69
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tpstulane wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 8:06 pm Hypocrisy. Paul Tulane’s family made their fortune on the back of slaves. Political Correctness at its finest.
http://www.tulanelink.com/tulanelink/tulanepast_box.htm
Tulane University would never have existed were it not for the 19th-century philanthropist Paul Tulane's connections to slavery. Such links date back at least to Paul Tulane's father, Louis, who made his fortune employing slave labor in Haiti. When a violent slave rebellion forced Louis to leave Saint Domingue and move to New Jersey, he had already amassed enough capital to purchase a massive estate near Princeton. Thus, when young Paul Tulane moved to New Orleans in 1822, he had the advantage of a cushion of financial support directly linked to slavery.
HMMM...this seems odd...Tulane now, was the former University of Louisiana, which was already in exisitence, something the fine Tulane article omits... let's burn all business in Louisiana that have slave related histoires to the ground,cleanse the earth and then go buy UNO, which was the former Camp Leroy Johnson and built by the FEDS !!!!
Last edited by golfnut69 on Fri Feb 28, 2020 7:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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winwave wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 11:17 pm Just to be clear the bell in question is not the one we have been using after basketball games since Conroy brought its use about. In fact when he brought that bell back we were told it would be brought to all of our sporting events to be used after wins. That never happened. As to the bell in question I have been going to Tulane basketball games since the early 60's. I don't recall it being used after basketball victories.
The bell use to be mounted outside, on a pedestal between the arena and the UC. There was a plaque that explained how it was the Victory Bell for wins. It was definitely there from the early 80s until Conroy brought it inside to use. The clanger had been removed to keep students from ringing it incessantly. I agree that if we are going down this road, there should be discussion about leveling the entire school. If a slave was ever forced to walk over a bridge, should we not be able to use that bridge again? Does it become a "slave bridge" and a symbol that must be gotten rid of?

Slavery is probably a bigger deal today than it was in 1900 when there were still people around who remembered it and lived it. Is there ever a point where it's over? No one alive was a slave, knew a slave or knew anyone who ever knew a slave.
golfnut69
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Erase the History...and when we do, eliminate all "social programs" that were put in place becasue of it.....
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Just get a new bell and move on. Too much ado about nothing.
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anEngineer wrote: Fri Feb 28, 2020 7:51 am
winwave wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 11:17 pm Just to be clear the bell in question is not the one we have been using after basketball games since Conroy brought its use about. In fact when he brought that bell back we were told it would be brought to all of our sporting events to be used after wins. That never happened. As to the bell in question I have been going to Tulane basketball games since the early 60's. I don't recall it being used after basketball victories.
The bell use to be mounted outside, on a pedestal between the arena and the UC. There was a plaque that explained how it was the Victory Bell for wins. It was definitely there from the early 80s until Conroy brought it inside to use. The clanger had been removed to keep students from ringing it incessantly. I agree that if we are going down this road, there should be discussion about leveling the entire school. If a slave was ever forced to walk over a bridge, should we not be able to use that bridge again? Does it become a "slave bridge" and a symbol that must be gotten rid of?

Slavery is probably a bigger deal today than it was in 1900 when there were still people around who remembered it and lived it. Is there ever a point where it's over? No one alive was a slave, knew a slave or knew anyone who ever knew a slave.
The bell pictured with the story is not the one used after current basketball wins. The one used now is moveable. The one in the story is/was mounted permanently in front of McAlister.
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ajcalhoun wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 9:23 pm How did it take 60 years to find out where that bell came from?
Probably because nobody cared, or started researching it, until the last 6 months. Political correctness just took awhile to get around to the bell. I wonder when they'll figure out how many Tulane buildings were constructed with slave or underpaid laborers? For that matter, how many slaves were forced to walk across Tulane's campus in the mid-19th century? Time to shut down the uptown campus and move it all across the lake where we didn't have any buildings constructed nearly 200 years ago? What a joke.
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HoustonWave wrote: Fri Feb 28, 2020 11:55 am
ajcalhoun wrote: Thu Feb 27, 2020 9:23 pm How did it take 60 years to find out where that bell came from?
Probably because nobody cared, or started researching it, until the last 6 months. Political correctness just took awhile to get around to the bell. I wonder when they'll figure out how many Tulane buildings were constructed with slave or underpaid laborers? For that matter, how many slaves were forced to walk across Tulane's campus in the mid-19th century? Time to shut down the uptown campus and move it all across the lake where we didn't have any buildings constructed nearly 200 years ago? What a joke.
Or, that Paul Tulane was a major contributor to the Confederate States of America.
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