Confederate Statue Controversy at University of North Carolina
The Toppling of Silent Sam
On Monday night, a group of protestors marched on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus, protesting the controversial Confederate monument known as “Silent Sam.” The statue, dedicated to students who fought in the Civil War, had been a source of controversy for decades.
By the end of the evening, some protestors had succeeded in pulling the statue down. The toppling was preceded by a rally supporting Maya Little, a UNC doctoral student facing criminal charges for splashing Silent Sam with red ink and her own blood in April. Little addressed the crowd and called the statue “a memorial to white supremacy, and to slave owners. And to people who murdered my ancestors.”
The Symbolism of Silent Sam
Silent Sam was erected on the UNC campus in 1913 with support from the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The statue depicts a soldier holding a gun without ammunition, earning it the nickname “Silent Sam.” A panel on the side of the monument shows a woman representing the state urging a student to join the fight for the Confederacy.
At the statue’s dedication, industrialist and white supremacist Julian Carr proclaimed that “the whole Southland is sanctified by the precious blood of the student Confederate soldier.” Carr also bragged about whipping a black woman because she had insulted a white woman.
Silent Sam has long been a symbol of white supremacy and slavery. Calls to remove it intensified after the deadly white nationalist rallies in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017.
The Debate Over Removal
University officials have acknowledged the divisive nature of Silent Sam and expressed support for its removal. However, they have been unable to take down the statue due to a 2015 state law stipulating that monuments owned by the state cannot be removed or altered without approval from a state historical commission.
The Toppling and Aftermath
After the statue was toppled, Chancellor Carol L. Folt issued a statement acknowledging its divisive history and expressing concern about the unlawful and dangerous actions of the protestors. The police are investigating the vandalism and assessing the damage.
Silent Sam lay on the ground for several hours before being carted away to an undisclosed location. The toppling has sparked a debate about the role of Confederate monuments in public spaces and the importance of addressing the legacy of slavery and white supremacy.
Long-Tail Keywords:
- Confederate statue controversy at University of North Carolina
- Maya Little’s protest and criminal charges
- Silent Sam’s symbolism as a memorial to white supremacy
- The role of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in erecting Silent Sam
- Julian Carr’s racist proclamation at the statue’s dedication
- The debate over removing Silent Sam following the Charlottesville rallies
- The state law preventing the university from removing Silent Sam
- Chancellor Carol L. Folt’s statement on the toppling of Silent Sam
- The investigation into the vandalism and damage to Silent Sam