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A descendant of a big contributor to a law school claimed repayment of $3.6 billion after the institution decided to change the school’s name.
Robert C. Smith is the great-great-grandson of T.C. Williams, whose name is on the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond.
Williams was a wealthy 19th-century businessman who owned tobacco enterprises, a University of Richmond graduate, and a trustee. After Williams’ death, his family gave $25,000 to the law school.
Despite the fact that Williams’s estate frequently donated to the university, the T.C. Williams School of Law had its name changed.
The University of Richmond School of Law adopted a policy prohibiting the naming of any building, program, professorship, or entity “for a person who directly engaged in the trafficking and/or enslavement of others or openly advocated for the enslavement of people.”
The university discovered that Williams had slaves.
According to records, Williams’ enterprises were taxed for possessing 25 to 40 slaves. According to Williams’ personal tax filings, he paid taxes on his ownership of three enslaved persons.
Smith opposes the decision to rename the law school, arguing that the institution is bowing in to “woke activists” and that it would not exist without the $3.6 billion financial donation from generations of Williams’ family.
In a five-page letter sent to University of Richmond President Kevin Hallock on January 30th, Smith challenged the president to “demonstrate” their goodness by returning all the money.
Smith stated that the university could issue a debt for the remaining $300 million “as long as it is secured by all campus buildings and all of your woke faculty pledge their personal assets and guarantee the note.”
Smith noted, “We know that in 1888 he gave $10,000 to re-establish the Law School, and that upon his death in 1889, his estate gave $25,000 to the Law School.” A realistic estimate of these gifts from the conclusion of World War II until his passing surpasses $65,000.
He stated, “The endowment of the institution is $3.3 billion. Since you and your activists went to great lengths to denigrate the Williams name, and since the Williams family’s money is undoubtedly polluted, you should demonstrate your “virtue” by returning the money.
“I suggest you immediately transfer the entire $3.3 billion endowment to T.C. Williams, Srliving .’s descendants.” All of it will be utilized for the charity reasons for which it was intended. “We will accept a note for the remaining $300 million if it is secured by all campus buildings and all of your faculty pledge their personal assets and guarantee the note,” he continued.
Smith said that the university may have retained its name if it had attributed the law school to T.C. Williams Jr., Williams’s son.
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