Edward Hand and James Buchanan were both notable historical figures- but for all the wrong reasons. Hand, an Irish soldier and plantation owner, and Buchanan, a former US president from Lancaster, have two things in common: they both owned slaves, and they’re both used as the names for schools in the Lancaster District.

 “The name Edward Hand Middle School represents all the wrong things,” city resident Madra Clay told Fox 43 reporters in a recent interview. 

In July 2020, the Lancaster School board voted to remove the name of what was formerly Edward Hand middle school, temporarily renaming it  Southeast Middle School. The board is also seeking out a new name for Buchanan Elementary.

The school board and members of the community agreed to change the names because they felt that their children should not be attending institutions named after people who owned slaves and actively worked against racial equality.

James Buchanan was the 15th president of the United States, and he lived in the Wheatland Mansion in Lancaster. It may seem like a rude thing to call him one of the worst presidents in history, but he was just that. He was very close to breaking the oath of office that he took when was inaugurated, because of his constant connection to the southern states, which were still highly involved in the slave trade. Most of the southern economy was built off of slave labor, and Buchanan was very involved with the Southern states and the slaves.

Edward Hand was also a slave owner, although not a former president of the United States like James Buchanan. He was an Irish-American soldier who had many different encounters with people of color. He had a medical certificate from Trinity College in Dublin and entered the Continental army in 1775, where he took on the role of a Lieutenant Colonel, and was later appointed the position of a general in the Continental army. During his time in the army, he was involved in some incidents where he attacked people and their families and murdered native Americans and other tribes and groups of people. After the war, he returned to Lancaster Pennsylvania where he lived with his wife, and stayed active in civil affairs after leaving the army. 

As you may be able to tell, there are a mix of things that these two men did that don’t settle well with the residents of Lancaster, especially people of color. Lancaster City has a large population of people of different races and ethnicities. Different religions, races, ethnicities, perspectives and many other differences make up our city. Having schools who are named after men who owned slaves and having families of color attend them does not settle well with families. 

Lancaster City has a reputation of being a welcoming place. Many people from all around come to Lancaster, and we need to keep it a place where everyone feels welcome. Some possible new names for the school have been thrown around in the community, but no final decisions have been made yet.