Last year, the University of Richmond removed the name of TC Williams from its law school because the wealthy Virginian allegedly owned slaves. Fine, say the descendants of Williams—but they are demanding that the school give them back $3.6 billion, reports the Washington Post. It seems that in the 1890s, the estate of Williams gave the school the princely sum of $25,000, which the family calculates would be worth $51 million with interest today, per the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Other family members continued to donate large sums over the years, amounting to what the family claims would be worth $3.6 billion today. Williams' great-great grandson, a Richmond lawyer named Robert C. Smith, laid it out in an angry letter to UR President Kevin Hallock, aka a "carpet bagging weasel."
"Since you and your activists went out of your way to discredit the Williams name and since presumably the Williams family money is tainted, demonstrate your ‘virtue’ and give it all back," Smith wrote. He suggested that the university turn over its entire $3.3 billion endowment, suggesting that the school's "woke faculty pledge their personal assets" to guarantee a note for the remaining amount. Williams owned tobacco companies in the 19th century, and the university says city tax records show those companies owned slaves; personal tax records suggest he personally owned three slaves.
Smith pointed out that rather than amend the school's name to the University of Richmond School of Law, it could have instead associated the TC Williams School of Law with Williams' son, TC Williams Jr. Smith says the school has not responded to his family's demand, and he declined to say whether he would pursue legal action. The school has not commented on the demand. (More University of Richmond stories.)
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