Washington and Lee University Considers Potential Name Change

Washington and Lee University Considers Potential Name Change
The statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee stands in the center of a park in Charlottesville, Va., in a file photo. Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Bill Pan
Updated:

Faculty members at Washington and Lee University (WLU) are considering taking “Lee” out of the university’s name because of the association with the Confederacy.

Located in Lexington, Virginia, the WLU was named for George Washington, whose donation ensured the school’s survival, and Robert E. Lee, who turned the school into a modernized research university following his military career in the Confederate Army.