A group of University of Maryland students is pushing school officials to change the name of the school's Byrd Stadium, saying the institution needs to reject what they described as the racist and segregationist views of its namesake.
Nine university students sent the school president, Dr. Wallace D. Loh, a letter Friday asking him to recommend by Nov. 4 that the university's board of regents rename the stadium.
"Today, we are here in a moment of unity, without ill will, to say it’s time to change the name of the stadium," the letter says.
School officials told The Washington Post in April that they were considering the request.
The students said they will "make every effort to use marches to the Administration Building and other acts of civil disobedience" to convey their message, their letter says.
Thurgood Marshall pushed Byrd to admit African-Americans to the university, a letter Marshall sent Byrd in March 1937 shows.
