Camden: Votes are in, Woodrow Wilson High School is getting renamed over a legacy of racism

Former President Woodrow Wilson has been the name of the Camden County High School for over 90 years.

News 12 Staff

Nov 30, 2021, 10:51 AM

Updated 1,061 days ago

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Former President Woodrow Wilson has been the name of the Camden County High School for over 90 years.  
Officials all over the country have been stripping Wilson’s name from buildings over a legacy of racism.
NJ.com reported the high school is planning to rename the Woodrow Wilson High School after voting on the measure nearly 18 months ago.
The campaign for change began with a petition on Change.org in 2019 before gaining support last summer after George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police, spurring protests nationwide.
A committee of 100 parents, activists and school officials was formed last year to pick a new name.  
A few names that were considered included the late civil rights activist and US Rep. John Lewis, former President Barack Obama and a former superintendent who recently passed away, according to NJ.com.  
Other simpler names such as East High School and Camden East High School were also considered.
The name change was put on hold, however, when the school focused its attention on its response to the COVID-19.  
According to NJ.com, the district said at its Oct. 26 board of education meeting that a new, 10-person committee would be formed, restarting the renaming process from scratch.