George Washington to drop ‘Colonials’ name by 2023-24

The board of trustees at George Washington University voted to discontinue the use of the Colonials moniker by the 2023-24 academic year. The decision comes after a recent push from student activists.

Both the board and a special committee agreed that given the division among the GW community about the name, “Colonials” can no longer serve its purpose as a name that unifies.

“A moniker must unify our community, draw people together and serve as a source of pride,” the board’s chairwomen Grace Speights said in a statement. “We look forward to the next steps in an inclusive process to identify a moniker that fulfills this aspiration.”

The Washington, D.C.-based school has used the name Colonials since 1926. It’ll continue to use the name until a new name is introduced by the 2023-24 academic year. 

Supporters of “Colonials” view the name as “those who lived in the American colonies, especially those who fought for independence and democracy.”

Meanwhile, opponents view the term as referring to “colonizers who stole land and resources form indigenous groups, killed or exiled Native peoples and introduced slavery into the colonies.”

The university already has noted steps that will be used in choosing a new moniker.

The school will partner with a firm to develop strategies, processes and creative recommendations. Also, it will establish a special advisory committee that will consist of school leaders, alumni, faculty and students to oversee the progress while making recommendations. There will also be a broad engagement among the George Washington community to participate and help in the creation of a new moniker.

George Washington’s decision comes two years after the Washington NFL franchise dropped its “Redskins” moniker following pressure from Native American groups and team sponsors. The team went under the name “Washington Football Team” for two years before introducing its new moniker, “Commanders,” this past February.