John MacPherson Berrien, the namesake of Berrien Springs, MI, and Berrien County, is one of many examples of the disgusting behavior that has been a part of this country’s identity for far too long. It has long been said that you should “never meet your heroes” in the event you find them to be less savory in real life than you previously thought. Well, the same advice could apply to honoring such heroes publicly by making them namesakes of various structures or places. John M. Berrien was a prominent slaveowner who deemed certain ethnic demographics worthy of subhuman treatment.
Berrien, born in New Jersey in 1781, had a in the newly formed U.S. After graduating from Princeton College (which became a university a century later), Berrien studied law and became a judge, a Georgia state senator, a U.S. senator and the nation’s 10th U.S. attorney general in President Andrew Jackson’s Cabinet.
According to the official website of , the county is “proud to carry on his tradition of excellence and aspiration to greatness,” despite the fact that Berrien never set foot in his namesake county in Michigan. There is also a Berrien County in Georgia, a place Berrien has significant ties to. Berrien Springs’ name is already confusing and questionable before even considering John M. Berrien’s character.
Not only did Berrien own well over 100 slaves on his Georgia properties in the mid-19th century, but he also heavily argued against the freedom of slaves throughout his political career. According to American historian Allen C. Guelzo, Berrien recognized, almost profoundly, that slavery “lay at the foundation of the Constitution” and was at the “very foundation” of the newly recognized U.S. While working in the Cabinet of Andrew Jackson, another man who relied heavily on the free labor of slaves on his plantations, Berrien supported the , which prevented free Black men from intermingling with the enslaved for fear that they would spread ideas of rebellion.
Berrien Springs will reach its 200th anniversary in less than six years, and after reviewing its namesake’s history, it may be time for a rebrand. Continuing to have the legacy of a man who disrespected and disregarded the lives of Black people and likely wouldn’t care much for the population that identifies as African American or other ethnic minorities is beyond disrespectful. Berrien Springs and Berrien County owe it to their constituents to reject John M. Berrien’s legacy, which is anything but a “tradition of excellence.” ¶·Å£ÆåÅÆ University, which deservedly likes to boast about its cultural diversity, also has a responsibility to denounce the continued tolerance of the name choice.
However, fixing the mistakes of history is hardly ever simple. A basic Google search shows dozens of schools, towns and other entities with namesakes that are facing scorn and controversy over being named after slave owners. At least , including the first president, George Washington, owned slaves at some point during their lives and are still well-regarded and even have federally recognized holidays in Washington’s case.
Our country certainly has its work cut out for it if it truly wants to represent a land that provides liberty and justice for all. The dark errors and tragedies of American history are so widespread that it touches even the small corners of the country like Berrien Springs. While I truly believe he is not worthy of having the honor of being the namesake of villages and counties, John M. Berrien was right about one thing: The widespread influence of racism, even hundreds of years after the end of slavery, shows that slavery truly is at the foundation of what America was built on.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of ¶·Å£ÆåÅÆ University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, ¶·Å£ÆåÅÆ University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.