FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  The Rev. Dawn Cooley, Justice Center Coordinator

Cell: 502-295-1199      Email:  justicecenter@tjuc.org

 

PRESS RELEASE

Historical Name Change Reflects Truth and Justice

 

July 17, 2020, Louisville, KY__In recognition that the name of the congregation should change to reflect their values rather than a man whose actions are antithetical to the same, members of Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church overwhelmingly voted in favor of changing the name of their organization. The mission and principles of the church remain unchanged. The Board of Trustees unanimously recommended a name change to the congregation in November 2019. This recommendation led to an extensive discussion by the congregation into Jefferson’s legacy.

The next step for the congregation is to work on the challenge of developing a new name that reflects their values and principles. Board President Deborah Novgorodoff observes, “Members have a vision of joining together as a force fighting for justice and equality in Louisville and in the world. In our desire to work in solidarity with oppressed people, it became clear that changing the name of our church was a necessary step in our commitment to justice.”

The name was originally adopted by the church at formation in 1960. Since that time, history around this founding father has become more complete – reflecting greater understanding that his values and his actions were not in alignment, even by the standards of the time. Through conversations with allies and accountability partners, the congregation began to understand that by operating under this name, they were perpetrating harm against African American people.

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