5 facts about John Witherspoon, a slaveholder and the only university president to sign the Declaration of Independence
- Written by Joseph Yannielli, Lecturer in History, Aston University
A statue of John Witherspoon overlooks a common area at Princeton University.Oliver Morris via Getty ImagesSince 2001, a bronze statue of the Rev. John Witherspoon has loomed over a busy pedestrian plaza at Princeton University, where he served as president from 1768 to 1794. During his tenure at Princeton, Witherspoon made history by signing the...