But we cannot be afraid of our truth. We all are part of one nation, all pledging allegiance to one flag, the flag of the United States of America. Another friend asked me to consider these four monuments from the perspective of an African American mother or father trying to explain to their fifth grade daughter who Robert E. Lee is and why he stands atop of our beautiful city. America was the place where nearly 4000 of our fellow citizens were lynched, 540 alone in Louisiana; where the courts enshrined ‘separate but equal’; where Freedom riders coming to New Orleans were beaten to a bloody pulp. For America and New Orleans, it has been a long, winding road, marked by great tragedy and great triumph. Colleen Curran covers arts and entertainment for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. He said the statue and the planned exhibit would be used “as an opportunity for discussion about why the monuments were created, Richmond’s role in the creation of the Lost Cause and what we can learn from this moment in history with the removal of these monuments.”. Many municipalities in the United States have removed monuments and memorials on public property dedicated to the Confederate States of America (CSA), and some, such as Silent Sam in North Carolina, have been torn down by protestors. Confederate statues, institutions like Army bases or schools named after Confederate figures should be removed or renamed. Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Interim Chancellor Larry Sparks said in a Thursday, March 21, 2019, statement that he is consulting with historic preservation officials on relocating the statue. We need to change. We all know the answer to these very simple questions. We forget, we deny how much we really depend on each other, how much we need each other. The reason pertains to the fact that confederate statues have been up for the last 130 years or so. . I want to try to gently peel from your hands the grip on a false narrative of our history that I think weakens us. Is this really our story? Lee Barracks and Lee Gate should be renamed. Isn’t this the gift that the people of New Orleans have given to the world? According to an analysis by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the year 1911 was the peak of the Confederate memorial movement in the United States, with more monuments erected that year than any other. And unlike when these Confederate monuments were first erected as symbols of white supremacy, we now have a chance to create not only new symbols, but to do it together, as one people. Why America Is Wrestling with Confederate Monuments (Aug. 25, 2017) PBS Newshour’s William Brangham talks to Peniel Joseph of the University of Texas, W. Fitzhugh Brundage of the University of North Carolina, Pierre McGraw of the Monumental Task Committee. We can’t walk away from this truth. ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — A Confederate monument in Elizabeth City slated for removal has no place to go. Confederate monument should be moved to cemetery Sep 22, 2020 Sep 22, 2020; Facebook ; Twitter ... One way to make amends is to remove the Jim Crow monument from its present location. Comments. There is no other place quite like it in the world that so eloquently exemplifies the uniquely American motto: e pluribus unum — out of many we are one. Now is the time to actually make this the City we always should have been, had we gotten it right in the first place. First erected over 166 years after the founding of our city and 19 years after the end of the Civil War, the monuments that we took down were meant to rebrand the history of our city and the ideals of a defeated Confederacy. “Our bases should reflect our highest ideals as Americans." "He was originally bought for $300 into slavery, and he won his freedom papers through the war," Winfree said. These monuments purposefully celebrate a fictional, sanitized Confederacy; ignoring the death, ignoring the enslavement, and the terror that it actually stood for. Guaranteed Originality. John Daniel Davidson, “Why We Should Keep The Confederate Monuments Right Where They Are,” thefederalist.com, Aug. 18, 2017 37. The Confederacy was on the wrong side of history and humanity. MEXICO- US Marshals Service arrested Sadiq J. Moore in Columbia Thursday, Oct. 8. Removing Confederate monuments doesn't erase history. First, they came for the Confederates. Indivisibility is our essence. “Dopesick,” an eight-episode limited series for Hulu based on Virginia author Beth Macy’s bestselling book, is now filming around Richmond and…. The University of Mississippi's leader says he agrees that a Confederate soldier monument should be moved from its current spot on campus. He also fought for white supremacy and upheld racial segregation … He asked me to think about all the people who have left New Orleans because of our exclusionary attitudes. There is a difference between remembrance of history and reverence of it. The University of Mississippi's leader says he agrees that a Confederate monument should be shifted from its current spot on campus. We radiate beauty and grace in our food, in our music, in our architecture, in our joy of life, in our celebration of death; in everything that we do. Museums — or cemeteries — are more fitting final resting places for these relics of the past. “We Need to Move, Not Destroy, Confederate Monuments,” was the heading for a thoughtful article by New York Times critic Holland Cotter. Confederate monuments are being removed around the country under pressure from those who say they honour a regime that enslaved African-Americans. Famed Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest was the Klan’s first leader, or Grand Wizard, and today he is immortalized in stone monuments in many towns and cities throughout the South. Neither the proclamation nor the monument mention the reason why the Confederate States of America seceded from the Union in the first place: to preserve and perpetuate slavery, an institution they believed faced an existential threat from the presidency of Abraham Lincoln. The historic record is clear, the Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, and P.G.T. Pasquotank County will even bear the cost … NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Louisiana Supreme Court has moved a statue of Edward Douglass White Jr. from its front steps. Can you look into that young girl’s eyes and convince her that Robert E. Lee is there to encourage her? The Decatur Confederate monument, erected in 1908, is the topic of discussion for many DeKalb County and city of Decatur officials. Removal of Confederate monuments and memorials is an ongoing process in the United States since the 1960s. ... Another 76 Confederate monuments in the state remain, according to WUNC and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Other findings from the survey report that 52% of respondents believe the Confederate monuments needed to be removed; 40% found the monuments offensive; 43% considered them oppressive; and 28% believe the monuments should not have been removed. When you look into this child’s eyes is the moment when the searing truth comes into focus for us. Protesters splattered paint on the Monument Avenue statue of Jefferson Davis over the summer. The Valentine is planning to display the statue of Davis, the Confederate president, as it was found: tipped over, dented and covered with paint from protesters. I just hope people listen like I did when my dear friend Wynton Marsalis helped me see the truth. It sought to tear apart our nation and subjugate our fellow Americans to slavery. It is a history that holds in its heart the stories of Native Americans — the Choctaw, Houma Nation, the Chitimacha. But to get there he had to pass by this monument to a man who fought to deny him his humanity. He recalled a piece of stone, a slave auction block engraved with a marker commemorating a single moment in 1830 when Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay stood and spoke from it. By God, just think. It is self-evident that these men did not fight for the United States of America, They fought against it. The soul of our beloved City is deeply rooted in a history that has evolved over thousands of years; rooted in a diverse people who have been here together every step of the way — for both good and for ill. So for those self-appointed defenders of history and the monuments, they are eerily silent on what amounts to this historical malfeasance, a lie by omission. New York Gov. The Davis statue was designed by sculptor Edward Valentine. And they clearly receive the message that the Confederacy and the cult of the lost cause intended to deliver. It is in this union and in this truth that real patriotism is rooted and flourishes. A cyclist pauses in front of the Jefferson Davis monument on Monument Ave. in Richmond, VA Sunday, May 31, 2020. On Bolivar Street in Marshall is a pink granite memorial erected in 1963. The Italians, the Irish, the Cubans, the south and central Americans, the Vietnamese and so many more. Beauregard statues were not erected just to honor these men, but as part of the movement which became known as The Cult of the Lost Cause. This is however about showing the whole world that we as a city and as a people are able to acknowledge, understand, reconcile and most importantly, choose a better future for ourselves making straight what has been crooked and making right what was wrong. And it immediately begs the questions, why there are no slave ship monuments, no prominent markers on public land to remember the lynchings or the slave blocks; nothing to remember this long chapter of our lives; the pain, the sacrifice, the shame... all of it happening on the soil of New Orleans. Many municipalities in the United States have removed monuments and memorials on public property dedicated to the Confederate States of America (CSA), and some, such as Silent Sam in North Carolina, have been torn down by protestors. The Valentine museum has petitioned the city of Richmond to let it display the Jefferson Davis statue from Monument Avenue that was toppled by protestors during the summer. William A. Frassanito, Early Photography at Gettysburg (Gettysburg: Thomas Publications, 1995), 268-278. Valentine museum's survey says 65% of Richmonders believe museums should acquire Confederate monuments from Monument Ave. Because we are one nation, not two; indivisible with liberty and justice for all... not some. Southern Baptist Convention President Steve Gaines is among about a dozen Southern Baptist signatories of a letter requesting that a Memphis statue of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest be moved from a public park 'to a more historically appropriate site.' Because now is the time for choosing. Lady Gaga belted out the national anthem Wednesday in a very Gaga way — with flamboyance, fashion and passion. It’s one part of what should be a broad, in-depth process of reparations. We all take our own journey on race. Centuries old wounds are still raw because they never healed right in the first place. should confederate monuments and memorials be removed if not why not if so from where how and under what specific circumstances should they be removed and what should be done with them December 26, 2020 / in / by Tony As President George W. Bush said at the dedication ceremony for the National Museum of African American History & Culture, “A great nation does not hide its history. Former school board leader says Confederate monument at courthouse should be moved to war memorial ... Reynolds said he would like to see the statue moved to … The public display in the United States of Confederate monuments, memorials and symbols has been and continues to be controversial. "I believe that Confederate statues should be disposed of," says Tami Sawyer, the founder of #TakeEmDown901, the group that formed in Memphis to protest the city's Confederate monuments… The museum has not yet received a response from the city on its petition. Think about second lines, think about Mardi Gras, think about muffaletta, think about the Saints, gumbo, red beans and rice. Not only building new symbols, but making this city a beautiful manifestation of what is possible and what we as a people can become. After public hearings and approvals from three separate community led commissions. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, signed legislation on Tuesday prohibiting the sale of Confederate flags on public property, including at state and local fairs. President Obama said, “Consider what this artifact tells us about history... on a stone where day after day for years, men and women... bound and bought and sold and bid like cattle on a stone worn down by the tragedy of over a thousand bare feet. Humanities Washington convened an interesting and provocative online discussion about controversial public monuments and ways we might think about whether they remain as is, whether they should be reinterpreted given today’s understanding or whether there are cases in which they should be moved to private settings. So I am not judging anybody, I am not judging people. July 22, 2017 Updated: July 26, 2017 9:50 a.m. Facebook Twitter Email. It’s a sign that the world is changing.” Yes, Terence, it is and it is long overdue. Surely we are far enough removed from this dark time to acknowledge that the cause of the Confederacy was wrong. In a pandemic year, the outdoors was booming. Both stories were history. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File) 1 of 2. You have permission to edit this article. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. While some have driven by these monuments every day and either revered their beauty or failed to see them at all, many of our neighbors and fellow Americans see them very clearly. When he was 15, Sam Merkle moved from Richmond to New York City to attend the prestigious School of American Ballet. If it's commissioned, the sculpture will face the historic Ryman Auditorium, a music venue where Dolly Parton has played throughout her career. [] The shooter was said to have glorified the Confederate South, posing in Facebook photos with … Have you ever thought that if her potential is limited, yours and mine are too? Instead of revering a 4-year brief historical aberration that was called the Confederacy we can celebrate all 300 years of our rich, diverse history as a place named New Orleans and set the tone for the next 300 years. Many are painfully aware of the long shadows their presence casts; not only literally but figuratively. Fans Think Dolly Parton Statue Should Replace Confederate Monument - And It Could Actually Happen ... the rally to remove confederate monuments in the southern United States, due to their connection to slavery, has grown to become a war cry of sorts. Removal of Confederate monuments and memorials is an ongoing process in the United States since the 1960s. This is the full text of the remarks delivered last week by the mayor of New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu, upon his removal of the last of the city’s several Confederate monuments. Over 1,000 respondents answered 18 questions on Lost Cause public art, monuments, and museum experiences. Unfortunately, his claim is true, but not with regard to this issue. History Speaks on Intentions Behind Confederate Statues (Aug. 23, 2017) {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Independent Contractor (Newspaper Carrier), Over 2 million people visited James River Park in 2020; Virginia Capital Trail saw 1.2 million, New takeout and delivery-only Mac & Cheese-focused restaurant now open in Shockoe Bottom, 'Dopesick' - a Hulu limited series with Michael Keaton - is filming in Richmond area through May, 17-year-old former Richmond student and ballet dancer Sam Merkle featured on Disney +’s new “On Pointe” docu-series, Watch now: Lady Gaga delivers powerful anthem at inaugural, Virginia Rep hires interim artistic directors and first female leader of color; virtual gala this weekend, A Dolly Parton statue may be erected at the Tennessee Capitol, Ashland's Macmurdo House, 163 years old, listed on state landmarks register. The body of this soldier would be moved by the photographers from this location to another one some 70 yards away, where he would become the subject of one of Gettysburg’s most indelible images. We have not erased history; we are becoming part of the city’s history by righting the wrong image these monuments represent and crafting a better, more complete future for all our children and for future generations. If we take these statues down and don’t change to become a more open and inclusive society this would have all been in vain. Let us remember what the once exiled, imprisoned and now universally loved Nelson Mandela and what he said after the fall of apartheid. 100%. A survey from The Valentine reports that 65% of respondents from the Richmond region believe museums should acquire Confederate monuments from Monument Avenue and display them with context. I … Patriots Should Help Move Confederate Monuments It’s long past time for patriotic Americans to insist that Confederate monuments have to come down in the South, and be moved to appropriate spots. He said in his now famous ‘cornerstone speech’ that the Confederacy’s “cornerstone rests upon the great truth, that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery — subordination to the superior race — is his natural and normal condition. These statues are not just stone and metal. The ostentatious monument was plopped front and center in the middle of the Confederate cemetery, without regard for several of the soldiers’ headstones. And we need to change now. Earlier this week, as the cult of the lost cause statue of P.G.T Beauregard came down, world renowned musician Terence Blanchard stood watch, his wife Robin and their two beautiful daughters at their side. The museum is now interested in turning the Valentine Studio, where Valentine created many images of fallen Confederate leaders, into a new exhibit that would explore the Lost Cause, Richmond and the present day. Dozens of times each day, the sturdy old bones of 713 S. Center St. in Ashland rattle just a little bit as trains pass mere yards from the hom…. That is why today we reclaim these spaces for the United States of America. Client #2423522. Have Top 2% Experts Write Your Essay May. Anything less would render generations of courageous struggle and soul-searching a truly lost cause. So when people say to me that the monuments in question are history, well what I just described is real history as well, and it is the searing truth. History cannot be changed. While the debate whether Confederate statues should be taken down has been gaining momentum for years, the issue gained widespread attention after the June 17, 2015, mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. It is our acknowledgment that now is the time to take stock of, and then move past, a painful part of our history. This is not about politics, this is not about blame or retaliation. DeKalb judge orders Confederate monument to be moved by June 26 Protests continue June 3 in Decatur where large groups gathered, marched around Decatur Square and settled on the plaza. Protesters the night before had defaced this and the other statues on the historic street. Monuments have a way of taking the temperature of the moment, says Gabriel Reich, associate professor at Richmond’s Virginia Commonwealth University and an expert on Confederate statuary. The marker explains how the site once served as a headquarters for the Confederate capital of Missouri. “We look forward to providing a location where Richmonders can learn about the Lost Cause, consider Richmond and The Valentine’s early role in disseminating the damaging Lost Cause myth and ultimately gain a deeper, more nuanced, more empathetic understanding of the region we call home.”. We should stop for a moment and ask ourselves — at this point in our history — after Katrina, after Rita, after Ike, after Gustav, after the national recession, after the BP oil catastrophe and after the tornado — if presented with the opportunity to build monuments that told our story or to curate these particular spaces... would these monuments be what we want the world to see? 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