Someone Vandalized A Clemson Building Named After A Racist Politician

A campus building honoring a violent racist was hit with graffiti calling him a "violent racist."

A prominent building on Clemson University's campus in South Carolina, named for a racist 19th century politician named Benjamin Tillman, was vandalized Monday.

Spraypaint discovered on Monday at Tillman Hall says "Tillman Was A Violent Racist." Tillman, who was a South Carolina governor and U.S. Senator, was racist and openly advocated for killing black men. He proudly boasted about a militia he was involved with having executed state Sen. Simon Coker, a black Republican, in 1876. Another spraypainted message found on Tillman Hall this week said "R.I.P. Sen. Coker."

Clemson University's Tillman Hall was vandalized Monday. Tillman is a prominent building on the Clemson, South Carolina campus, named for an unapologetic racist.

Clemson University's Tillman Hall was vandalized Monday. Tillman is a prominent building on the Clemson, South Carolina campus, named for an unapologetic racist.

Instagram: @arlindohall

Students and faculty have long-called for Clemson to rename the building. Some professors renewed their efforts last week following the June killing of nine at an historically black church in Charleston.

South Carolina's Heritage Act prevents the university from renaming the building without a super majority approval from the state legislature. Clemson's president and trustees have supported removing the Confederate battle flag from the state Capitol, but not for pushing to rename Tillman Hall. Clemson's trustees did not return requests for comment from The Huffington Post this week.

University police also found graffiti on the building stating, "Blacks must remain subordinate or be exterminated -- Tillman," according to an incident report obtained by HuffPost.

Tyler Kingkade covers higher education at The Huffington Post. Contact him at tyler.kingkade@huffingtonpost.com.

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