As Americans and Horned Frogs, we find ourselves at a crossroads in terms of racial equity and justice. Our community’s journey into an inclusive future includes an academic and honest reckoning with the past. As with so many universities established in the 19th century, we want to examine how the legacy of racial hierarchy affects today’s Texas Christian University.

The University recently launched the Race & Reconciliation Initiative to give us a chance to delve deeper into TCU’s history and culture and build a path to a diverse and more equitable future.

Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr.

We’ve assembled a stellar team of scholars and leaders, chaired by Dr. Frederick Gooding, associate professor of African American Studies in the John V. Roach Honors College. The initiative is an academic endeavor that will spend its first year on research, focusing on Black Americans and the University’s experiences with racism, slavery and the Confederacy. In addition, TCU will participate in the Universities Studying Slavery consortium, in which we will join with other leading universities in broad research and examination.

Leaders of this initiative will reckon with a history that extends to today’s institutional priorities of diversity, equity and inclusion, and justice. Through new understanding, we can — and must — take action that will lead to healing of any inequality here and more broadly in our world.

We can’t undo the past. But what better place to learn from it than at a university — our University? Please join me on this journey to move forward as a united family. Stay tuned as we learn together and work harder to make TCU a place where every Horned Frog is valued and respected.

Each new day brings a chance for all of us to do better.

Victor J. Boschini, Jr.
10th Chancellor
v.boschini@tcu.edu