3. We should be able to discuss these historical figures and discuss what we admire about them and what we don't admire so much. Defend the existence of confederate statues as ways of honoring the past with the United Daughters of the Confederacy, an organization devoted to the memory of Confederate soldiers. The monument divided the African American community, exposing various political philosophies on how to deal with white supremacy. May 16, 2017 0 The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his mount, Traveler, face the setting sun on Monument Ave. in Richmond,. [26] A monument to the victims of slavery has also been suggested. It depends on who the person is and what the objections are. The statues misrepresent history, and glorify people who perpetuated slavery, attempted secession from United States, and lost the Civil War. Khushbu Shah, Atlanta's Confederate Monuments: How Do Context Markers Help Explain Racism?, theguardian.com, Aug. 3, 2019, 25. 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. Between June 17, 2015 and July 6, 2020, 59 Confederate statues, nine interpretive markers, and plaques were removed from public land in 19 states across the country. Research reveals the long-term impact following the destruction of the Greenwood District, Harvard experts talk about how to turn the moments energy into lasting change, Harvard faculty recommend the writers and subjects that promote context and understanding, Ash Center panel puts defining moment of Floyd killing into context of fight for social justice, Biomolecular archaeology reveals a fuller picture of the nomadic Xiongnu. Accessed April 27, 2023. https://www.procon.org/headlines/historic-statue-removal-top-3-pros-cons/, Whose Heritage: Public Symbols of the Confederacy, 1. Should the US remove Confederate memorials, flags, and Does this moment, and these efforts feel different to you? His explorations united a world previously divided by hemispheres. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. They often depict political leaders, but more often military leaders. Second, because almost everyone conforms in most respects to prevailing social practices, disqualification for such conduct is necessarily arbitrary and driven more by politics than by merit. Confederate Monuments: What Should Replace Them? | Time GORDON-REED: No. And that is, in fact, a very imperialist vision. Effective Ways to Save on your Mobile Data, The Law Enforcement Exception To The Use Of Deadly Force, Swearing At Police Officers Is Not Appropriate In Massachusetts, Everything You Need To Know About Car Insurance Companies And Police Reports, The Police In Nigeria Have The Authority To Arrest Without A Warrant Under Certain Circumstances. By writing to US national senators and representatives, you can advocate for the position and policies you believe in. They represent the establishments value system at any given time, regardless of the circumstances. GORDON-REED: I would say there are other places for that on battlefields and cemeteries. What do you think of that idea? In some cases, moreover, politics induces decision makers to ignore the traditional standards. So what do you think of moving into a broader swath of statues coming down and - or being targeted? Sign up for daily emails to get the latest Harvardnews. The removal of monuments erases the memory of those who fought against them in defense of the values they represent. And the vast majority of these statues were erected during the height of the Jim Crow movement, as historian Kevin M. Kruse has shown. The annual Aneurin Bevan lecture is held at the Hay Festival every year. We disregard or discount those faults common to the individuals time and place. Police stopped these protesters, but statues are coming down around the U.S., yanked down or removed by local governments. Q: Why is the removal of statues such a fraught topic? Removing Statues Means 'Our Society Is Evolving,' Say Historians, Activists Mount Vernon, Slavery, mountvernon.org (accessed July 7, 2020), 40. Accuracy and availability may vary. Gary Younge is a professor of sociology at the University of Manchester. Was there no other way to handle that situation? Caleb Parke, From George Washington to Ulysses S. Grant: Statues, Monuments Vandalized Extend beyond Confederates amid Black Lives Matter Protests, foxnews.com, June 22, 2020, 13. 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. Common faults are, by definition, common. GREENE: But is there an argument that removing these statues could help further the fight for racial equality in our country? MANISHA SINHA: It always astonished me as a Civil War historian to see statues commemorating Confederate generals and politicians who had literally committed treason against this country in order to uphold human bondage. Memorials serve as a permanent reminder of our values, as well as a place to honor and display them in public. Parental selection of spouses is anathema today, but in Ciceros society, everybody did it.. Robert Draper, Toppling Statues Is a First Step toward Ending Confederate Myths, nationalgeographic.com, July 2, 2020, 24. Confederate monuments are more likely to be removed in cities with large African-American and Democratic populations, as well as chapters of the NAACP, and where state legislatures have the authority to approve their removal. The architect Daniel Burnham was a leader in the movement; he went on to do the McMillan Plan for the National Mall in D.C. In several cities, these tributes have been vandalized or torn down by protestors or removed by public officials. {mosads}George Washington is one example of the traditional standard in action. 4. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the other side of the issue now helps you better argue your position. The statues are a painful reminder of past and present institutionalized racism in the United States. 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. The U.S. Recycling System | US EPA Amanda Holpuch, Ed Pilkington, and Oliver Laughland, Charleston Shooting: Confederate Flag at Heart of Growing Political Storm, theguardian.com, June 20, 2015, 4. GORDON-REED: I suppose, if people want to, everything can pave the way to some other point. Since this fundamentally conflicts with American values and ideas, they should be removed. There is no easy answer to this question, as there are pros and cons to both sides. [42], Jefferson is the author of two of our most dear principles as a country: equality and religious freedom. Hannah Natanson, Theres a New Way to Deal with Confederate Monuments: Signs That Explain Their Racist History, washingtonpost.com, Sep. 22, 2019, 53. We do not erect monuments to people who performed extraordinary feats that were unquestionably evil, even if their characters included some virtuous traits. Robert E. Lees statue, for example, is regarded as particularly offensive due to his role in defending slavery and the Confederacy. GAZETTE: In recent years, many have called for the removal of monuments honoring Confederate officials and other controversial figures, such as Christopher Columbus, with mixed results. Pros. 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. More than half of Americans support removal of Confederate statues, but 44% still think they should remain. Since the statues and properties are not intrinsically bad, we do not remove and destroy them. [31], In Louisville, a statue of Confederate soldier John Breckinridge Castleman was removed. 2. Stupendous vision, energy, competence, and couragedistinguished Christopher Columbus from others of his generation. These loans are designed to help low and moderate-income borrowers obtain affordable financing. Managing Editor This is the first statue of a black person to be installed in Statuary Hall, and it was commissioned by the state. [27] [28] Statues celebrating the diversity of the country could help remedy symbolic annihilation of black Americans, women, and other groups. Yes, other celebrated Americans were also deeply wrong about slavery, but they aspired to something greater. I think the difference that Floyd's murder has made is that most American citizens are finally realizing what they represent. Were trying to let the government know were not going to wait any longer for our freedom to happen. [19] Celebrations of Columbus have long been criticized due to his colonization and genocide of Indigenous people, as well as the false narrative that he discovered America when he never set foot on North America. I certainly understand the emotion the passion particularly if government officials have turned a blind eye to previous petitions from the community. In the end, the boycott was spearheaded by African Americans who boycotted the buses for the sake of civil rights. PRO: These monuments should be removed because they honor slavery and segregation CON: Confederate monuments should stay because they connect past racial crimes to current racial inequality Nearly every heavy-crane company in southern Louisiana has received threats from opponents. The argument is that these statues glorify individuals who have harmed marginalized groups, and that they should be removed from public spaces. Thats a lot of money for one city to pay for, and that money could be used for more important things. ], [Editors Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries. In particular, a lot of our civic buildings our courthouses, our state capitals, even our public squares and parks are in the neoclassical style. The rally protested the proposed removal of statues of Confederate Army Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. A: Thats such a complex issue. [52], Next to the Peace Monument in Atlanta, Georgia, a plaque reads, This monument should no longer stand as a memorial to white brotherhood; rather, it should be seen as an artifact representing a shared history in which millions of Americans were denied civil and human rights. [24], Sheffield Hale, JD, President and Chief Executive of the Atlanta History Center, stated of the plaque, I do think it gives [people] a starting point, which is sorely needed right now, in our society, as a way to deal with contentious issues. What did the Civil War mean for both the Union and the Confederacy? The bus will arrive in Che Guevaras honor. I dont. Lee was distinguished from his contemporaries by an exemplary career, both in the U.S. and Confederate armies, of competence and honor. emma.greguska@asu.edu. Mississippis secession declaration states, Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery the greatest material interest of the world. On July 13, 2022, Florida erected a statue of Mary McLeod Bethune to replace their confederate soldier statue. They did, though, own slaves. An 1884 Confederate monument to General Robert E. Lee is removed from Lee Circle in New Orleans, Louisiana, on May 19, 2017. This article was published on January 20, 2022, at Britannica's ProCon.org, a nonpartisan issue-information source. Despite being recognized around the world as a hero, Columbus statues have long been criticized as a result of his colonization and genocide of Indigenous cultures. They harbored cultural bias. There are lots of terrible. Who Jefferson Davis was. There have been other videos, of course, but there is something about this image of a prone individual who is not moving and who we know is losing, or has lost, his life after an encounter that started over an alleged counterfeit $20 bill. So for instance, I just read today that the Museum of Natural History wants to take down a statue of Theodore Roosevelt that has an African American man and a Native American man standing alongside him while he's astride on a horse. Proper citation depends on your preferred or required style manual. While most Americans watch helplessly, ourstateside Taliban vandalizes and removeslong-standing public monuments. The shooter was said to have glorified the Confederate South, posing in Facebook photos with the Battle Flag of the Northern Virginia Army (also known now as the Confederate flag, though it never represented the Confederate States) and touring historical Confederate locations before the shooting. Many people believe that these statues and monuments are inciting white supremacy and promoting violence. The reason for that was a movement called City Beautiful. Here's What to Know, time.com, June 24, 2020, 2. On the one hand, some argue that they are historical landmarks and should be preserved. The statues in major British cities are being reviewed. 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. All rights reserved. Other statues of historic figures, such as slave-owning presidents or imperialists like Christopher Columbus, promote similar oppressive and revisionist messages. The renewed division between the two civil rights groups followed the war. Protesters for. The statue in this state refers to the state constitution or an act of the legislature or initiative or referendum. Confederate symbols and flags have been removed from public display in the South since the end of the Civil War. The main duty is not to hide the bitter parts. They honored racial prejudice. Protesters next to a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond, Va. The history of the United States is multi-layered, complicated, and ever-evolving. Does removing statues of Columbus or Confederate officials pave the way for action against monuments honoring those who helped create the United States? Glenn Foster, founder of The Freedom Neighborhood, stated of the Emancipation Memorial, which depicts Lincoln over a kneeling freed slave, When I look at that statue, Im reminded my freedom and my liberation is only dictated by white peoples terms. On the other side, opponents of the statues argue that they celebrate white supremacy. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., PhD, Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University, notes that enduringly charged symbols of the former Confederacy [add] to our fears that, instead of embracing the promise of democracy in a diverse society, some want to return us to a far more restrictive time, when freedom was circumscribed by race. [22], We cant get to learning from our history if we keep accepting that racism should be celebrated in American history, according to Khalil Gibran Muhammad, PhD, Professor of History, Race and Public Policy at Harvard University [1]. How? I was really dismayed to see the statue of Grant, especially, come down because Grant was never comfortable with owning that one slave that was given to him by his father-in-law. I think what you see with the Lee monument and this new time capsule is a good example of how we can handle that. Starting with the Reconstruction, we see them being used as a way to control public spaces and maintain white supremacy alongside other things like lynching, controlling school curriculums, etc. Senior Editor at Arc Digital. Ashlie D. Stevens, As Confederate Monuments Come down, What Should Replace Them?, salon.com, June 17, 2020, 27. What Are The Pros and Cons of FHA Loans For Buyers and Sellers Taking them down is to censor, whitewash, and potentially forget that history. Tomas Strakas Vida Poltica de las Estatuas is a collection of essays. According to media reports, at least 11 statues were severely damaged or destroyed during the true civil rebellion in 2017. Opinion: Don't Take Down Confederate Monuments. Here's Why. Monticello, Jefferson's Attitudes toward Slavery, monticello.org (accessed July 7, 2020), 41. New York Times, From 2017: Confederate Monuments Are Coming down dcross the United States. To access extended pro and con arguments, sources, discussion questions, and ways to take action on the issue of whether historic statues should be taken down in the United States, go to ProCon.org. There are far more dangerous threats to history. [4], Monuments are ultimately about which values we want to honor and put on public display. 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. In response to a question posed by The Daily Mail, the Queen Mothers statue in Trafalgar Square should be chosen. The Recycling Economic Information (REI) Report found that, in a single year, recycling and reuse activities in the United States accounted for 757,000 jobs, $36.6 billion in wages and $6.7 billion in tax revenues. A statue of Lord Charles Colston was erected in Britain more than 60 years before slavery was abolished there. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? Jos Vasconcelos and Jos Enrique Rod have been appointed as ambassadors, and they have been actively involved in the work of the United Nations. Statues and monuments of historical figures are commonplace in almost every city in the world. There is an issue which has sparked some conflict which is based on the topic of whether or not Confederate Statues and Confederate symbols should be removed due to the background that they represent. [4], As Karen Cox, PhD, Historian of the American South at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, concludes, The state is giving the stamp of approval to these Lost Cause ideas, and the money is a symbol of that approval. Do we protect Confederate graves and battlefields? It is unfortunate that they are considered public art works rather than memorializing them. Controversial statues: Should they stay or should they go? [14] [55], In June 2021, the US House of Representatives voted to remove all confederate statues and bust of Roger B. Taney (the US Supreme Court Chief Justice who wrote the Dred Scott decision) from the US Capitols Statuary Hall. Rebecca Klar, Arthur Ashe Statue on Richmond's Monument Avenue Tagged with White Lives Matter Graffiti, thehill.com, June 17, 2020, 50. The Pros And Cons Of Keeping Political Statues In Public Spaces Squares with statues of ostensibly virtuous civil leaders at the center often came out of the City Beautiful movement. Rob Natelsonisa constitutional historian and former constitutional law professor, serves as asenior fellow in constitutional jurisprudenceat The Independence Institute, the Montana Policy Institute, and The Heartland Institute.

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