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The University of Wisconsin has removed Chamberlin Rock from Observatory Hill on its Madison campus.
After complaints from groups of minority students who saw the rock — which was referred to as “n**** head” rock, according to the Wisconsin State Journal — as a symbol of racism, the decision was made to remove the boulder. The rock was named after former university president and geologist Thomas Crowder Chamberlin.
“Removing the rock as a monument in a prominent location prevents further harm to our community while preserving the rock’s educational research value for our current and future students,” Gary Brown, the director of campus planning and landscape architecture, told the Wisconsin State Journal.
The rock will be relocated on university-owned land southeast of Madison near Lake Kegonsa.
The total cost to remove the 42-ton rock required a crane and flatbread truck that ran an estimated $50,000. The money was provided by private donors.
With the rock now removed, the university will instead honor Chamberlin with a plaque inside of Chamberlin Hall.
