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 The community is invited to celebrate the legacy of abolitionist James E. Burr at a rededication of his memorial, 3 p.m. Friday, November 2.
Like Wheaton’s founder Jonathan Blanchard, James E. Burr worked for the abolition of slavery in the years leading up to the Civil War, for which he was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to twelve years of hard labor but pardoned after five. Later, Burr gave part of his estate to Illinois Institute (now Wheaton College), a known abolitionist school. In return, he asked that his remains be buried on the free soil of the campus. For many years, an eight foot stone obelisk stood over the spot of Burr’s grave, and students decorated the site once a year. But over time, the tombstone deteriorated.
In the mid 1980’s Wheaton alumni Paul and Marcia Daniels presented a new bronze grave marker in honor of James Burr. This past year, the Daniels gave another gift to update the bronze marker. The College has repositioned the stone and marker celebrating the life of James Burr so that students and other passersby can more easily see and read about his life and his relationship to Wheaton College.
The ceremony will take place on Soderquist Plaza (campus map), located on the north side of Williston Hall on the campus of Wheaton College. The Wheaton College Special Collections department will also honor Burr’s memory with a temporary exhibit on Burr’s work and life. For more information, contact Sarah Clark at sarah.clark@wheaton.edu or 630.752.5714.
Wheaton College (Wheaton, Ill.) is a coeducational Christian liberal arts college noted for its rigorous academics, integration of faith and learning, and consistent ranking among the top liberal arts colleges in the country.
 View and print original press release (pdf)
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