Campus Building Name 'Canceled' As Boston College High School Founder Tied to Slavery

In Dorchester, the Boston College High School finds itself grappling with the complexity woven into its own history. The Jesuit Catholic institution recently decided to rename one of its original campus buildings after discovering a profound connection between its founder, Father John McElroy, and slavery. According to The Boston Globe, the decision comes as a result of nearly two years of meticulous research.

School President Grace Cotter Regan, in a statement, affirmed the institution's responsibility to uphold the dignity of all people, highlighting the contrasting values the discovery represents. McElroy's direct work involving enslaved people during his service in Maryland in the early 1800s, was illumined by the research conducted on his life and activities.

The building on Morrissey Boulevard, previously adorned by McElroy's name, will now be christened St. Ignatius Hall, with a blessing to be celebrated later this year, as per a CBS News article.

Another Yahoo! News article further brings to the fore the delicate balance Boston College High School seeks to achieve in acknowledging the indispensable role McElroy played in its founding while simultaneously addressing the undeniable association he held with a period of grave human rights abuses.