When Baylor University was founded in 1845, chattel slavery was deeply woven into the cultural and economic fabric of Texas. Baylor’s founders – including namesake Judge R.E.B. Baylor, its first Board of Trustees and the University’s first four presidents – were both religious leaders and slaveholders.
Enslaved persons formed almost half of the population of the area surrounding Baylor’s original campus in Independence, and those individuals contributed to the construction of buildings and the activities of daily life there for at least two decades. The wealth that enslaved men, women and children provided to Baylor’s founders and early benefactors directly benefited the University through gifts of money and personal advocacy.
The incompatibility of Baylor’s Christian mission and its roots in chattel slavery require a collective reckoning with this legacy. The Bible explains in both Exodus and John that freedom is central to the Christian life, and we should be transparent about the times in our history when Baylor was an obstacle to freedom.
- Exodus 20:2 – I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
- John 8:36 – So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
The Memorial to Enslaved Persons will create new areas of reflection, gathering and community on Founders Mall while also symbolizing Baylor’s ongoing commitment to racial equity and Christian compassion. It is an acknowledgment of a challenging part of our history while helping us see the need for Christian repentance while we press toward renewal, reconciliation and restoration.