William McCutchan Morrison Memorial

William McCutchan Morrison was born November 10, 1867, near Lexington, Virginia. He graduated from Washington and Lee University in 1887 and subsequently attended Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. In 1892, Morrison departed for the Congo as a Presbyterian missionary, devoting more than twenty-five years to religious instruction, education, and the welfare of its inhabitants. He became an outspoken critic of the brutal conditions imposed under Belgian colonial rule, documenting atrocities and advocating reforms on behalf of the Congolese people. His efforts brought prosecution by colonial authorities, although he was ultimately acquitted and vindicated. Morrison also made important contributions to the study of African languages, authoring a grammar and dictionary of a Congolese dialect and translating portions of the Bible into the native language. He died in the Congo on March 14, 1918, and was buried at Luebo.

On June 7, 1926, Morrison's former classmates dedicated a bronze tablet in his honor during an Alumni Association meeting in Lee Chapel. The ceremony featured remarks by Dr. L. W. Irwin, a fellow missionary and student of Morrison's, and the Rev. Lee W. Erwin of Williamsburg, who spoke about his character and accomplishments. The Ring-tum Phi described Morrison as “one of the greatest missionaries of all times,” while the tablet itself commemorated his service to Africa through “evangelization, linguistic work, practical methods and results.” Its dedication expressed the hope that Morrison's life would inspire future generations of Washington and Lee students.

University officials removed the plaque alongside other memorials from the Chapel sanctuary in 2021.

WILLIAM MCCUTCHAN MORRISON

BORN NOVEMBER 10, 1867, NEAR LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA, B. A., W. & L. U., 1887. GRADUATE PRESBYTERIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, LOUISVILLE, KY., 1892. MISSIONARY, LUEBO, CONGO, AFRICA, MAY 7, 1897. AGGRESSIVE EXPOSER OF THE OPPRESSION AND ATROCITIES SUFFERED BY THE BELGIAN-CONGO NATIVES AND FOR WHICH HE SUFFERED PROSECUTION BUT WAS ACQUITTED AND VINDICATED. AUTHOR OF THE FIRST GRAMMAR AND DICTIONARY OF THE NATIVE DIALECT AND PARAPHRASED THE SCRIPTURES THEREIN. D.D., W. & L. U., 1906. MARRIED BERTHA STEBBINS OF NATCHEZ, MISS., JUNE 14, 1906, WHO DIED AS A MISSIONARY WITH HIM NOVEMBER 21, 1910. HE DIED MARCH 14, 1918, AND WAS BURIED AT LUEBO.

HE CARRIED THE GOSPEL TO DARKEST AFRICA AND IN CONSECRATION, ADMINISTRATION, LINGUISTIC WORK, PRACTICAL METHODS AND RESULTS RANKS FIRST IN THIS FIELD.

THIS TABLET IS PLACED BY FELLOW STUDENTS OF ABOUT HIS TIME IN HAPPY THOUGHT OF COLLEGE-DAY FELLOWSHIP, AND IN COMMEMORATION OF HIS GREAT CHARACTER, HIS HOLY LIFE-WORK, HIS HEROIC BRAVERY AND HIS SPLENDID ACCOMPLISHMENT, AND TO KEEP ALIVE IN NAME AND THOUGHT ONE OF OUR GREATEST ALUMNI AS AN INSPIRATION TO COMING GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS.

On June 4, 2021, the Washington and Lee University Board of Trustees announced plans to rename Lee Chapel and restore its auditorium to an “unadorned design,” physically separating it from the Lee family crypt and memorial sculpture. As part of these changes, university officials removed twenty historical plaques and memorials from the chapel sanctuary.

In a July 21, 2022, update, the university explained that the removed plaques and artifacts had been relocated to other exhibits or placed in temporary storage pending renovations. It further announced that “most of the other plaques will be moved to the galleries in the building or to the new institutional history museum, where they can be displayed with more historical context.” The university has not publicly announced plans for the reinstallation or exhibition of this particular memorial.

The university has not responded to recent TGR inquiries concerning the whereabouts and future exhibition of removed plaques. However, in September 2026 correspondence with The W&L Spectator, Museum Director Matt Davis stated: “Our storage facility is not open to the public, nor do we make a list of our collections inventory available to the public.” He further explained that “the size and weight of some of these artifacts are not conducive to public viewing.” Regarding their future exhibition, Davis wrote: “It is possible that some or all of these artifacts will eventually be incorporated into temporary or permanent exhibits once the new museum is open, and we hope to have online databases and viewing rooms in the future.”

1. https://digitalarchive.wlu.edu/islandora/ring-tum-phi-june-8-1926

2. https://digitalarchive.wlu.edu/islandora/alumni-magazine-washington-and-lee-university-may-1926

3. https://www.wlu.edu/about-w-l/leadership/board-of-trustees/messages-from-the-board-of-trustees/message-archive-2020-2023/the-future-of-washington-and-lee-university

4. https://columns.wlu.edu/update-on-university-chapel-renovations/