Virginia changes team logo to remove references to slavery history

Virginia is altering its new primary and secondary logos to eliminate references to the school's history of slavery, the university announced Monday.

When the new logos were introduced April 24, the school noted that curves were added to the grip of the sabers to represent serpentine walls on the school's grounds.

The original 8-foot serpentine walls on campus were constructed to hide the presence and sounds of the enslaved laborers who built the university in the 1800s, The Cavalier Daily's Ali Sullivan notes. The walls were later removed and replaced with shorter ones in the 1950s.

"I was not previously aware of the historical perspective. ... Over the last few weeks, I have worked to better educate myself and that education will continue," Virginia athletic director Carla Williams said in the university's statement.

"There was no intent to cause harm, but we did, and for that I apologize to those who bear the pain of slavery in our history."