Police stopped these protesters, but statues are coming down around the U.S., yanked down or removed by local governments. 50 Fabulous Drinks Tables for Any Occasion, 40 Museums You Need to Visit in Your Lifetime, 30 Radiant Paint Colors for Your Dining Room, 13+ Black-Owned Home Brands To Support Now, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. "Data on lynchings and monument-building reveal a correlation in their activity, clustered around Civil War anniversaries and gains in civil rights for Black Americans," he notes. His decision extended to a separate monument to Confederate general Stonewall Jackson that city leaders and local activists had hoped to get rid of. View our online Press Pack. There are two primary arguments swirling around the Confederate statue debate. In his essay, Diaz-Griffith makes suggestions for what should happen to Confederate monuments going forward, presenting four options: He also presents a counterargument to what he describes as "the slippery slope argument" presented by white people who worry that the removal of historic monuments of any kind may make it more difficult to preserve America's historic houses, particularly those built by enslaved people like Mount Vernon (the home of George Washington), Monticello (the home of Thomas Jefferson), and even the White House. Ralph Northam said last Thursday. Diaz-Griffith thanks to several folks who contributed editorial guidance: Special thanks for their helpful insight and support to Collier Calandruccio; Alonso Diaz Rickards; Katherine C. Hughes, Gerry Research Scholar, American Wing, The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Abigail Muir; and Tiffany Wade Momon, Visiting Assistant Professor, Sewanee, The University of the South. The RAC was responsible for shipping more enslaved men, women, and children than any other company during the transatlantic slave trade and transported roughly 150,000 people between 1672 and the early 1720s, according to TIME. The actions of our President can cause another civil war. Wednesday, July 29th, 2020 10:30 AM. "I passively received 'Lost Cause' ideology from my environment—from songs, local stories, Southern literature, and even friends and family," he says. It's a construction that helped them ignore an inconvenient truth, and it serves the same function today. Removing Confederate monuments is not “removing history.” It is removing a dishonorable cause from a place of honor. States are facing renewed efforts to remove Confederate monuments; David Spunt reports. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. I’m a descendant of General Robert E. Lee. In the wake of the recent police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and widespread protests against police brutality and systemic racism in America, there are renewed calls for Confederate monuments around the country to come down—from Birmingham, Alabama, where a 52-foot obelisk known as the Confederate Soldiers & Sailors Monument was dismantled on June 1, to Richmond's Monument Avenue, where Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has announced plans to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee and to propose an ordinance to dismantle four additional Confederate monuments. Why do we want to remove Confederate statues? To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. As Matthew Boomer put it for The Federalist yesterday,However, the other side of this debate is also worth considering. But experts believe the monuments were built to send a message promoting white supremacy. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, Virginia Gov Ralph Northam ordered on Thursday the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen Robert E. Lee, The statue was commissioned in 1917 and erected in Charlottesville in 1924, Protesters have defaced the Robert E. Lee statue in Virginia, A statue of Confederate Gen J.E.B. If you read the primary literature, it's all very clear.". Many of these monuments were erected during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when white southerners, fueled by a "Lost Cause" revisionist history of the Civil War, institutionalized white supremacy via Jim Crow laws, lynchings, and other acts of racial terror. The statues may present a deeply flawed understanding of U.S. history and the South but they are important markers for American history and society. The United States should not continue to honor or memorialize them. The Most Stylish Cabins and Cottages in the U.S. Veranda participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. The most prominent from conservatives is that these statues are important for two reasons: for the sake of history and its preservation, and for the sake of solemn remembrance. Removing them won't change anything. Some say statues celebrating Confederate officials and heroes are monuments to white supremacy and have no place in society. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Share. C onfederate monuments are being removed around the country under pressure from those who say they honour a regime that enslaved African-Americans. Their work is an important part of setting the record straight on American history. Many southerners claim Confederate monuments are a representation of their history and were erected to honor Civil War heroes. Edward Colston was a wealthy slave trader who worked with the Royal African Company. CONFEDERATE statues and monuments honoring slave traders are being taken down amid worldwide anti-racism protests spurred by the death of George Floyd. Honestly, not only to condemn but to fully grasp the scope and wide ranging implications that continue to last today. Northern and southern states fought because of a long-standing disagreement over slavery in the US. Anti-racist interpretive strategies can shed light on Black and brown stories from throughout our country’s history. Activists had repeatedly called for the statue's removal amid the ongoing protests against racial injustice. Share page. (The oligarchy was a rather small club back in the day.) image copyright Getty Images. The director of Sir John Soane's Museum Foundation takes an honest look at their history—and lays out plans for what to do with them going forward. PRO AND CON: Should Confederate monuments be removed? Diaz-Griffith, a member of the Society of Architectural Historians, the Decorative Arts Trust, and the Royal Oak Foundation presented his case on his personal Instagram feed with a series of slides titled "The Anti Racist Preservationist's Guide to Confederate Monuments." The Confederates committed treason against the United States. What I fear is the hatred we see in real time in 2017 on social media and in our political rhetoric. ", Furthermore, Diaz-Griffith notes that "sites such as Mount Vernon are at the forefront of research in the material culture of slavery. Protests over Floyd's death in Minneapolis have refocused the country's attention on police brutality and racial injustice. Truthfully. "These statues were meant to create legitimate garb for white supremacy," James Grossman, executive director of the American Historical Association, told NPR. I don’t fear 150-year-old statues of old dead white men. And ultimately, it is why the others will come down, too. ", "When you dig in to this topic, you can identity the very moment when white Southerners began saying the war was about states' rights rather than preserving the institution of slavery. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Both periods were times of extreme racial tension - in the early 1900s, states were enacting Jim Crow laws to disenfranchise black Americans, while the civil rights movement of the early 1960s pushed back against racial discrimination. Police surround the ‘Silent Sam’ Confederate monument at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. After statues around the world were defaced as part of the Black Lives Matters protests, Kelly Grovier looks at why some monuments provoke powerful reactions. The momentum to remove Confederate memorials … "We can begin to root out 'Lost Cause' attitudes and embrace a pluralistic vision of the South, which for me is about family, food, friends, porches, the outdoors, connection, equity, and thoughtful traditions—not unexamined racism or closed-mindedness," says Diaz-Griffin. This is why the city council of Charlottesville voted, a century after it was commissioned, to remove the statue of Robert Edward Lee. Since the 2015 mass shooting at Mother Emanuel church in Charleston, South Carolina, 114 Confederate symbols have been taken down. Several cities around the … Officials are calling for the removal of Confederate statues in cities throughout the U.S. after a white supremacist rammed a car into counter-protesters, killing one and injuring 19. Why it matters to remove Confederate statues. Which is why the story of the Civil War needs to be told. One view. I … In that environment, we can educate ourselves about history and its often-terrifying human impact. It can be hard to unpack a lifetime of learning—that process takes time, care, self-questioning, and a willingness to learn. Confederate statues removed in Virginia, Kentucky following George Floyd's death. close. Two Confederate statues were removed from public locations in the state of Georgia this week. Several cities around the US took down Confederate monuments following the 2015 mass shooting of black parishioners in Charleston, South Carolina. A monument, many argue, is more than just commemorative: … It was fought between the United States of America and the Confederate States of America, a coalition of 11 states who seceded from the country in 1860 and 1861. Why are Confederate statues being removed? The US should remove Confederate memorials, flags, and monuments from public spaces. Growing up in Florence, Alabama, Diaz-Griffith experienced the legacy of the "Lost Cause" ideology firsthand. Statue wars: what should we do with troublesome monuments? B illboards for racism: Let's take down Confederate statues … The majority (62 percent) of America ’s reader sample told us that Confederate statues should be removed from public spaces and moved to new locations, like museums or … The slides explain the history of how such monuments came to be, the development of the ideology behind their design and construction, how white supremacists used them to colonize public space, and early opposition to their erection. When a statue that pays tribute to a person is erected, is there an implicit promise that the statue will always stand? "The South today is an incredibly diverse and positive place. 9, 1865. To tell a more honest story. Share on Facebook: Share on Twitter: Email: Print: Joe Kransdorf. Copy link . Removal of Confederate monuments and memorials is an ongoing process in the United States since the 1960s. We should relocate our racist statues to museums where we can remember our racist history in the appropriate context. A high-profile decision to tear down a famous bronze figure of Robert E. Lee in Richmond, Va., was … Protests over Floyd's death in Minneapolis have refocused the country's attention on police brutality and racial injustice. "When interpreted through an anti-racist lens, historic buildings tell the stories of enslaved people and their descendants," says Diaz-Griffith. "Unlike monuments, architecture is mutable, and historic buildings tell stories from throughout their histories—from the time of their construction through the present. Every item on this page was carefully chosen by a Veranda editor. Some said the vote to remove the Confederate statues should be viewed as an initial step toward a better country for all Americans. "When I became aware of social justice issues in my teens, I realized that something was off with the history I'd learned, but it was sometimes difficult to put my finger on it, as strange as that seems now. Opinion: Columns. 18 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in the South. Published 17 August 2017. 12, 1861 and ended on Apr. There are 1,747 Confederate monuments or symbols that still stand around the US, according to the SPLC. Others say removing those statues is an attempt to erase U.S. history. Our built environment should be welcoming and reflect that.". May 16, 2017 May 16, 2017; 0 {{featured_button_text}} The statue of Confederate … The Civil War began on Apr. This makes them and the Founding Fathers off-limits, in my view, while the Confederate statues should be fair game for removal. That's why the statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, should be removed, Gov. Stuart stands in Richmond, Virginia, Spray paint covers a monument built for Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Virginia is home to 110 Confederate statues, the most of any US state, Americans are calling for the removal of Confederate monuments amid unrest caused by the death of George Floyd, Several cities began taking down statues after the 2015 Charleston church shooting that killed nine black parishioners in South Carolina, Momentum picked up after protester Heather Heyer was killed in 2017 during a white nationalist rally in Virginia, The American Civil War was fought between the Union and the Confederacy between 1861 and 1865, Edward Colston was a 17th-century slave trader who was involved in transporting more than 150,000 men, women, and children across the Atlantic ocean, Protesters at a Black Lives Matter rally in Bristol, England toppled the statue in the city center, Demonstrators tied up the statue with rope after knocking it down, Black Lives Matter protesters cheered as the statue was rolled into Bristol Harbour on Saturday, ordered the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, rammed his pick-up truck into a crowd of Black Lives Matter demonstrators, a white nationalist Unite the Right rally, toppled the controversial statue to the ground and rolled it into Bristol Harbour, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). "Why would you put a statue of Robert E. Lee or Stonewall Jackson in 1948 in Baltimore?". Should there be? Most importantly, Diaz-Griffith underscores the relationship between these monuments and racial violence against Blacks. Training as an art historian and scholar of material culture helped me cut through the ideological fog that remained from adolescence. At a Black Lives Matter protest in Bristol, England, demonstrators toppled the controversial statue to the ground and rolled it into Bristol Harbour. image caption Statues of … 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. For other inquiries, Contact Us. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. ", Ultimately, Diaz-Griffith's vision is for the South's built environment to better reflect its culture. Dancing on Ice's Joe Warren Plant & Vanessa Bauer QUIT after positive Covid test, Piers slams Anthea Turner over pic of obese disabled woman with Covid mask on, UK R rate BELOW 1 for first time since July fuelling hope of lockdown lifting, Evil boyfriend who killed baby girl because she looked like real dad is caged, Thames FREEZES for first time in 60 years as pic shows UK blanketed in snow, ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Is Virginia America's Most Stylish State? confront our history of systemic racism and racial violence with monuments of another kind, 8 Gardening Apps Every Green Thumb Should Know, 16 Interior Designers Everyone Should Know, Making the Case For Using the Good China Every Day, Here's How To Deal With Annoying Passengers On Your Flight, Display the monuments and memorials in museums (excluding Confederate heritage museums) where they are interpreted in the context of "Lost Cause" ideology, the Jim Crow era, white supremacy, and systemic racism, Place monuments and memorials in private parks dedicated to telling the painful story of America’s racist past, Enter the monuments and memorials into permanent storage, Recontextualize monuments and memorials in situ, There are many other solutions for communities to explore, and this list is not exhaustive. Pros Cons The principal legacy of Confederate statues is white supremacy and slavery. Days after Northam's announcement, a self-admitted Ku Klux Klan leader and alleged Confederate ideologist rammed his pick-up truck into a crowd of Black Lives Matter demonstrators protesting near the statue on Sunday. I believe we should move all statues that memorialize war to museums. A majority of America's Confederate statues were built between the 1900s and 1920s and again in the 1950s and 1960s, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). About sharing. 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. Why the fuss over Confederate statues? Don't equate the removal of Confederate monuments at a premier national park with hatred or disrespect for the ordinary men of the Southern army who … The movement gained steam in 2017 following a white nationalist Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where Heather Heyer was killed by a car that plowed through a group of counterprotesters. The police killing of George Floyd sparked widespread protests and reignited efforts across the U.S. to remove Confederate and other statues viewed as symbols of slavery and racism. Virginia Gov Ralph Northam on Thursday ordered the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Richmond. So what should be the standard for taking down a statue? The almost certainly imminent removal of the Confederate statues along Monument Avenue — Jefferson Davis was toppled on June 10 — is particularly noteworthy. For many people, especially minorities, these statues are a reminder of a very painful past, and glorify the … https://www.veranda.com/.../why-confederate-monuments-should-be-removed Some historians say statues to Confederate officials should be left where they are, so people can confront America's struggles with racial equality. The Equal Justice Initiative's National Memorial for Peace and Justice, which opened in 2018, seeks to confront our history of systemic racism and racial violence with monuments of another kind: rectangular corten steel boxes that represent the more than 4,000 cases of lynchings documented by the EJI. Since this fundamentally conflicts with American values and ideas, they should be removed. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, 15 Luxe Vacation Rentals for Spring Getaways, 10 Black History Sites to Visit in Your Lifetime, The 23 Best Destinations for a Wellness Retreat, 12 Spectacular Examples of Victorian Architecture. Pelosi named the statues of President of the Confederate States Jefferson Davis and Vice President of the Confederacy Alexander Stephens as among the 11 statues she wants removed… "The … Virginia is home to 110 memorials, 13 of which are in Richmond, the SPLC says. My family also descends from George Washington and John Marshall, the fourth chief justice of the Supreme Court. And this historic context is exhibit number one in a case for the monuments' removals laid out by Michael Diaz-Griffith, the executive director of Sir John Soane Museum's Foundation in New York. In several cities, these tributes have been vandalized or torn down by protestors or removed by public officials. Pro 1 The statues misrepresent history, and glorify people who perpetuated slavery, attempted secession from United States, This comes as cities across the nation have grappled with how to handle statues … And I, along with many other Lee descendants, say: Remove … So why are Confederate statues being removed?
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