I think what you see with the Lee monument and this new time capsule is a good example of how we can handle that. History protests Confederate Monuments and Other Disputed Memorials Have Come Down in Cities Across America. In the United States, Confederate monuments are erected as public displays to commemorate the Confederate States of America, its soldiers and leaders. Venezuelas mezcla is characterized by a lack of eclecticism, as well as a widespread, general sense of izquierda. [1] [2] [3] [4], The issue rose to prominence again in 2017 after an Aug. 12 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned violent and deadly. Confederate monuments can find an appropriate home in museums and cemeteries. Claudette Colvin was a member of the Womens Missionary Union before Rosa Parks was born. Here in Washington, D.C., last night, protesters in Lafayette Square right by the White House tried to take down a statue of President Andrew Jackson. For proof, just look at the 1911 dedication of a Jefferson Davis statue in New Orleans. Following the murder of George Floyd, I think we started to see a broader recognition of how statues in civic spaces can exclude certain people. Ive said it before: There is an important difference between helping to create the United States and trying to destroy it. Should historic statues be taken down? Despite Nicole Douglas' team-leading 14th goal of the season, the Sun Devil soccer team was unable to claim its first Pac-12 victory of the season after falling to the Oregon State Beavers, 2-1 on Thursday night. As Rod Dreherargues in The American Conservative,Americans should not make the same mistakes as France. When the statues are publicly owned, removing them by wanton destruction still usurps decision-making authority from the public. ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages. List two to three ways. The standard traditionally applied is as follows: When deciding whom to commemorate by statues, place names, monuments, holidays, currency, or coins we select individuals who performed extraordinary feats that, on balance, made the world a better place. The removal of monuments erases the memory of those who fought against them in defense of the values they represent. The Onion looks at the pros and cons of removing historical statues. David Greene talks to Manisha Sinha, professor of American history at the University of Connecticut, about the recent toppling of non-Confederate statues like those of George Washington. Michelangelos David is not only a statue of a man, but also a statue of God. Why Confederate monuments are coming down now | Stanford News Taking them down is to censor, whitewash, and potentially forget that history. We should be able to discuss these historical figures and discuss what we admire about them and what we don't admire so much. By removing them, we can censor, whitewash, and potentially forget about the history. CBS News, Protesters in England Topple Statue of Slave Trader Edward Colston into Harbor, cbsnews.com, June 7, 2020, 8. Latisha Jensen, Portland Man Describes Tearing Down Thomas Jefferson Statue: Its Not Vandalism, wweek.com, June 20, 2020, 12. I also think it gives credence to the kind of exclusionary work that they already perform. Lawrence A. Kuznar, PhD, Professor of Anthropology at Indiana UniversityPurdue University Fort Wayne, stated that removing Confederate statues is a whitewashing of our history that destroys our ability to remember inconvenient truths from our past. A statue of Cecil Rhodes being removed from the University of Cape Town campus, South Africa, 2015. We must fight for the values we admire in our politics and culture. The XVI Tumba-estatuas de Guaicaipuro present the main lder of the resistencia indgena a la conquista del Valle de Caracas. Monuments to men who advocated cruelty and barbarism to achieve such a plainly racist end are a grotesque affront to these ideals. Perhaps that is precisely why the standard is flouted by those who want to politicize everything. The significance of a Civil War memorial varies from group to group, and there is always an urgent need for history to be told. Because civil rights groups have grown in prominence, the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) dedicated a monument to Shepherd, a so-called faithful slave. Historians debate America's history of racism and Confederate monuments Amanda Holpuch, Ed Pilkington, and Oliver Laughland, Charleston Shooting: Confederate Flag at Heart of Growing Political Storm, theguardian.com, June 20, 2015, 4. There are at least two reasons for not permitting contemporaneous vices to disqualify historical figures from favorable commemoration. The Confederate statues were put up when they were put up [not just after the war but largely during periods of Civil Rights tension in the 20th century], to send a message about white supremacy, and to sentimentalize people who had actively fought to preserve the system of slavery. I understand the importance of remembering those who died fighting for both sides of the war. It is unfortunate that they are considered public art works rather than memorializing them. In recent years, there has been a growing debate over whether or not political statues should be in public spaces. The bus will arrive in Che Guevaras honor. What are your thoughts on a separate museum for such statues? And there was a real concern about assimilating these immigrants into you can call it Americanization, but what it really was was an assimilation into white, Protestant culture. Neil Vigdor and Daniel Victor, "Over 160 Confederate Symbols Were Removed in 2020, Group Says," nytimes.com, Feb. 23, 2021, 56. Last week, protesters swarmed the statue, trying to topple it with two small ropes (seemingly impossible to anyone who has seen the massive monument up close). We will know who Robert E. Lee was. The fact that a particular vice prevailed in a persons place and time becomes an excuse for stripping recognition from people whose lives contradict the propaganda of those in power. Robert Draper, Toppling Statues Is a First Step toward Ending Confederate Myths, nationalgeographic.com, July 2, 2020, 24. The idea is, this is a statue of a civil leader, and they are someone whose virtue or deeds were meant to emulate as citizens. procon@eb.com, 2023 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Advocates of removing statutes of controversial figures suggest that these monuments represent individuals whose actions and legacies should not be celebrated or memorialised. More than half of Americans support removal of Confederate statues, but 44% still think they should remain. Note: Responses have been edited for length and clarity. Last modified on July 14, 2022. The Lee statue had been designated a historic monument, so people thought that would protect it from removal, but the governor of Virginia said, no, were taking it down. A year after the United States had a diplomatic confrontation with Venezuela, Washington had a diplomatic confrontation with Caracas, and Venezuela had a diplomatic confrontation with Washington. And the vast majority of these statues were erected during the height of the Jim Crow movement, as historian Kevin M. Kruse has shown. A: Theres certainly a school of thought that says so, that maybe they could be taken out of civic spaces and put into a museum where they can be recontextualized. Protesters for. Its a different use of the space, one that recognizes the damage done by colonialism and that values self-representation of people of color and Indigenous people that have previously been excluded from such spaces. A 2018 investigation published in the Smithsonian Magazine found that over the prior ten years at least $40 million in taxpayer dollars were allocated for Confederate statues, other monuments, and heritage organizations. 2. Regardless of whether historic statues are removed or remain, what sort of statues, memorials, or other art would you like to see in public spaces? Historic Statue, Flags, & Symbols Removal in America - Pros & Cons As some commentators point out, the destruction weakens our consciousness of history, including historys darker side. These statues are a reminder of our history, both good and bad. Stephen E. Ambrose, Founding Fathers and Slaveholders, smithsonianmag.com, Nov. 2002, 43. The removal in recent years of several monuments depicting Confederate leaders and other controversial historical figures by both politicians and unsanctioned activists have generated debate over whether their removal is justified. Share This: Over 100 busts, statues, columns, and other memorials to the Confederacy and Confederate general and politicians have been removed around the country. Richard Allen Greene, King Leopold II Statues Are Being Removed in Belgium. Consider appealing to the American Alliance of Museums for the use of the statues removed from public display. Senior Editor at Arc Digital. The Globe | Pro / Con: Historical Monuments It would be odd for me to condone other people doing something I would not do. [5], The Virginia statues still stood amid the protests following the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, though they were tagged with graffiti then (and later removed on July 10, 2021). While he hoped the next generation would abolish slavery, he wrote in 1820 that maintaining the institution of slavery was like holding a wolf by the ear, and we can neither hold him, nor safely let him go. [40], Grant came from an abolitionist family, freed the one slave he owned in 1859, supported black enlisted Army men, led the Union Army in the Civil War to abolish slavery, and was endorsed by Frederick Douglass for president. She was supposed to be the civil rights movements most visible figure until she became pregnant. Following the white nationalist rally in Virginia on August 12, 2017, it was back in the news. [56], When 11 Southern states seceded from the Union in 1861, they were very clear that the reason was the impending abolition of slavery. On July 13, 2022, Florida erected a statue of Mary McLeod Bethune to replace their confederate soldier statue. [26]. GORDON-REED: Plaques can work in some situations. The ceremony was whites only, and featured children forming a Confederate flag and singing Dixie.. {mosads}George Washington is one example of the traditional standard in action. Natalie Huet, Sir Geoff Palmer, Dont Take down Statues - Take down Racism, euronews.com, June 11, 2020, 54. This is why they put them up in the first place; to affirm the centrality of white supremacy to Southern culture. [1], Because the statues were intended to promote white supremacy, Richard Rose, President of Atlantas NAACP, argues, You cant contextualize racism or compromise on racism. He states that the contextualization plaques added to Atlantas Confederate statues establish that racism is valid. [24], The statues still appeal to white supremacists, as demonstrated by the 2017 rally to defend the Lee and Jackson statues in Virginia and in Dylan Roofs 2015 pre-massacre tour of plantations and a Confederate museum. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Federal judge rules Pennsylvania school district must allow After School Satan Facebook privacy settlement: Who is eligible for a payment? Debate around the removal of memorials and monuments that honor people and ideas whose messages and causes are considered offensive to certain marginalized groups has been a hot-button issue of late in the national conversation. A black resident of Richmond, Virginia, Tommye Finley, remarked of the citys Monument Avenue, which is home to five Confederate statues, When I first moved here from Mississippi, I thought these statues were ridiculous. I was really dismayed to see the statue of Grant, especially, come down because Grant was never. Evan Andrews, How Many U.S. Presidents Owned Enslaved People?, history.com, Sep. 3, 2019, 45. They should be removed from public spaces because they serve as a reminder of the negative effects of racism and bigotry, as well as a symbol of how far we have come since the colonial era. And I think most Civil War historians have been against Confederate statues - if not removal, at least with contextualization. The victors, the thousands of soldiers black and white in the armed forces of the United States, died to protect this country. The First Amendment protects everyones speech, not just the speech approved by the majority. Plaques can describe the history of slavery and the Civil War, as well as the white supremacist legacy that led to the creation of such monuments. Statues Commemorating Slave Traders Should Be Removed But Not Disposed The renewed division between the two civil rights groups followed the war. In recent years, there has been a movement to take down statues of historical figures who have been accused of racism, sexism, and other forms of bigotry. In several cities, these tributes have been vandalized or torn down by protestors or removed by public officials. A copy of the Statue of Liberty was damaged in Valencia, so it was removed from the citys streets. Mount Vernon, Slavery, mountvernon.org (accessed July 7, 2020), 40. The Pros And Cons Of Keeping Political Statues In Public Spaces In some cases, moreover, politics induces decision makers to ignore the traditional standards. Photo courtesy of Getty Images/iStockphoto, (480) 965-9657 The issue rose to prominence again in 2017 after an Aug. 12 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned violent and deadly. Source: Abdazizar. "Historic Statue Removal Top 3 Pros & Cons." Jack Jenkins, How the Charleston Shooting Is Linked to the Confederate Flag, According to A South Carolinian, thinkprogress.org, June 19, 2015, 3. It was an event that forced segregationists to come down rather than a single persons actions. The concept of La Raza -as* -as* is based on the idea that all latinos are united in EEUU and that they are committed to aquella tradition. Ted Mann, Lincoln Statue With Kneeling Black Man Becomes Target of Protests, wsj.com, June 25, 2020, 14. Yet, this is not the first time . Ellis Cose, Keep Confederate Monuments, but Put Their Horrific History on Center Stage, usatoday, Aug. 21, 2017, 52. Many celebrities have asked that their names be added to the list over the years, including David Beckham, Bill Morris, Mary Seacole, Benny Hill, and Paul Gascoigne. What that signals is a shift in power.. Some were unlawfully torn. Since this fundamentally conflicts with American values and ideas, they should be removed. Each of Trafalgar Squares four plinths will house four statues of Horatio Nelson. https://www.britannica.com/story/pro-and-con-historic-statue-removal-in-the-united-states, According to theSouthern Poverty Law Center. Preserving historic statues and place-names can serve a number of positive aims. Residents offered replacement suggestions ranging from boxer Muhammed Ali to writer Wendell Berry. John Daniel Davidson, Political Editor at The Federalist, explained, That they were wrong about slavery does not excuse us today from the burden of trying to understand what motivated them to fightand what motivated them and their families to undertake a flurry of monument-building decades later as the surviving veterans began to die off A more mature society would recognize that the past is always with you and must always be kept in mind. They didnt like having black classmates because they had racist hearts. [17] [18] The Lost Cause mythology was used to continue the idea that black people needed to be subjugated for their own good and as justification for Jim Crow laws. If so, how? They can be seen as a form of propaganda. Arguments For And Against Removing Confederate Statues, Robert E. Lee opposed Confederate statues. In the end, the boycott was spearheaded by African Americans who boycotted the buses for the sake of civil rights. Citizens have the right to express themselves in ways that respect their personal beliefs by creating statues and holding controversial opinions. Removing Statues Means 'Our Society Is Evolving,' Say Historians, Activists The movement against him is part of a wider drive to get rid of monuments to figures who are now. The main duty is not to hide the bitter parts. [43]. Dreamers and DACA supporters rally outside of the U.S. Supreme Court. Lets talk about the history of these statues. The toppling of Edward Colston's statue in Bristol has led to a heated debate about memorialisation and what those statues say about their respective societies. These loans are designed to help low and moderate-income borrowers obtain affordable financing. She won the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award for her explosive 2008 work, The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family.. ], ProCon.org, "Historic Statue Removal Top 3 Pros & Cons,", ProCon.org, "Historic Statue Removal Top 3 Pros & Cons. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Monuments of Hope, Memorials to a Poisoned Past, britannica.com, May 25, 2018, 23. Consider the idea of placing the removed statues in museums with the American Alliance of Museums. This is the first statue of a black person to be installed in Statuary Hall, and it was commissioned by the state. Gordon-Reed is a professor of history and the Charles Warren Professor of American Legal History at Harvard Law School. 4. Manisha Sinha, a Civil War historian at the University of Connecticut, says when it comes to, say, Robert E. Lee, take it down. Explain your answer with examples and reasoning. Some jurisdictions have placed explanatory plaques beside Confederate monuments to teach a more complete history of the Confederacy. On the one hand, some argue that they are historical landmarks and should be preserved. Juan De Anda, Why Representation Matters Now, mediapost.com, April 21, 2020, 28. Explain your answers. Those who disagree with the beliefs upheld by the statues should work to understand the history these monuments represent, rather than trying to simply remove them and the history from sight. BBC, Confederate and Columbus Statues Toppled by US Protesters, bbc.com, June 11, 2020, 21. The record has been filed by the gobernantes, but the response has not yet been made. These products have become necessities of the world, and a blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization There was no choice left us but submission to the mandates of abolition, or a dissolution of the Union, whose principles had been subverted to work out our ruin. [15] [16], However, after the Confederate States lost the Civil War, the South revised history. I think the difference that George Floyd's murder has made and that's been a bit heartening for me is that ordinary American citizens have finally realized what these statues symbolize and how they have been a standing affront for African Americans and their quest for equal citizenship in this country because Black Americans have always been against it. These monuments are controversial because they are seen by some as honoring the Confederacy and its pro-slavery and white supremacist policies and by others as historical markers of the nations history. A meaningful debate about statues is happening - The Conversation Tomorrow, a white nationalist majority mightuproot monuments to Martin Luther King citinghis adulteries and other indiscretions. GREENE: Historian Manisha Sinha is the author of "The Slave's Cause: A History Of Abolition.". The line is subjective, difficult to draw, and easy to reinterpret, leaving no memorial protected. Mridas Avenida de los Insignes, the Paseo de los Insignes, and the Coln derribado de Caracas were all parts of the Ch Guevaras visit to the United States. Lawrence A. Kuznar, I Detest Our Confederate Monuments. Other examples are the decisions to name towns in New York State, Illinois, and Indiana after the Roman consul,Marcus Tullius Cicero. Historian puts the push to remove Confederate statues in context
