Alshon Jeffrey Asks Alma Mater South Carolina to Remove Strom Thurmond Tribute

In light of recent protests regarding racial injustice in the United States, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffrey has asked his alma mater, the University of South Carolina, to rename a campus building dedicated to Strom Thurmond, a longtime South Carolina politician who repeatedly argued in favor of racial segregation.

Jeffrey's call for change comes just days after fellow NFL stars Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins convinced Clemson University, their alma mater, to remove the name of John C. Calhoun, a former slave owner, from the school's honors college.

Jeffrey joined fellow South Carolina alumni Marshon Lattimore and Mike Davis, who both criticized the school via Twitter. All three tweeted an identical message, speaking in solidarity and calling for a change in the university's values.

They also pointed out the irony behind the fact that the school's Wellness Center was dedicated to Thurmond, a slight to the school's black students.

Jeffrey, Lattimore, and Davis hope that renaming the building will prevent the university from alienating its black population, especially in the midst of the racial unrest that is currently gripping the United States. After Hopkins and Watson successfully petitioned Clemson to make it change, Jeffrey hopes to use his voice to do the same, acting as an agent of change in a tumultuous time.