A youth project petitioning to repeal G.S. 100-2.1
“What is courage? Some people may be confused about what that is. It doesn’t mean that you don’t have fear. It doesn’t mean that you don’t have anxiety, because fear is natural. It does mean, that one controls one’s fear, overcomes it, and pushes through fear to act; do what you need to do, do what’s required.”
Mr. Joe Holt (The first black man advocating for racial integration in Wake County Schools when he was a student)
“There is nothing about a confederate monument that is patriotic.”
Shannon Hardy (A teacher and important adult supporter for our group)
On May 20th, 1895, a 75-foot high monument to the Confederacy was erected in Downtown Raleigh. It was placed by the state of North Carolina and the Women’s Monument Association not only to commemorate Confederate dead, but also to promote and encourage white supremacy. It was used, during the Jim Crow era, to intimidate and essentially threaten those who opposed white supremacy. It depicts Confederate soldiers as heroes rather than individuals fighting to uphold slavery.
In 2017, Governor Roy Cooper unsuccessfully attempted to move this Confederate monument, the “Soldiers and Sailors” monument, to a Civil War battlefield in Bentonville. There have been multiple attempts to move this monument to a more historically appropriate location in Johnston County, but none have succeeded due to the law G.S. 100-2.1 (see below), which was passed in 2015. It has become clear that this monument can only be removed after G.S. 100-2.1 is reformed or repealed.
Our approach to removing these monuments is to get to the root of the issue. Currently, the law G.S. 100-2.1 states that any monument can only be temporarily removed or moved for 90 days. Furthermore, the only way that a monument can be moved or removed is through the approval of the North Carolina Historical Commission. Because of this, Confederate monuments cannot be taken down or relocated permanently without repealing or reforming this law. Our group, Drum Majors For Justice, has contacted legislators, lawyers, and knowledgable community members to write an effective and influential petition to repeal this law.
R E C E N T U P D A T E S : W E S T I L L N E E D Y O U R H E L P
On June 19 (Juneteenth) this year, two of the side statues on the 75-foot tall Confederate monument in Downtown Raleigh were pulled down by protesters. On June 20th, the “Women of the Confederacy” monument, also on capital grounds, was taken down as well. On June 21st, Governor Cooper elected to remove the entire “Soldiers and Sailors” (75 foot) monument which was then dismantled and removed. The question now is…
Is this temporary?
The law G.S. 100-2.1 states that a monument can only be removed for 90 days with the NC Historical Commission’s approval. Because Gov. Cooper removed these monuments on the basis of a public safety threat does the 90-day limit apply? If so, will these monuments be reinstalled on September 19th? They certainly won’t be reinstalled if the law is repealed. Help us to repeal G.S. 100-2.1 by Sep. 19, 2020. Although these huge symbols outside of our capital have now been removed, WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP. We are petitioning not only to permanently take down those monuments but to repeal a STATEWIDE law that prevents Confederate monuments from being removed. This means that all other Confederate monuments in the state are still protected by this law. This is why we still need to work to repeal it.
One way you can contribute greatly is to VOTE! Although the majority of our group cannot vote in this election, a great way to offer support is to help elect people into the general assembly who will support this bill. Obviously, we are not asking for your vote and your opinion to be solely based on this bill, but changing the dynamic and the majority in the general assembly will greatly improve the chances of this bill being accepted and approved.
“Monuments to white supremacy don’t belong in places of allegiance, and it’s past time that these painful memorials be moved in a legal, safe way,”
Gov. Roy Cooper
U R G E N T
A year ago, a bill was filed to repeal G.S. 100-2.1. Sadly, this bill has not been voted on or taken into action during this year. On June 27, 2020, this bill was brought back into the spotlight. Now, the time is right to bring this bill to a vote.
Due to recent changes, we need this bill to be repealed SOON! Voting on legislation is not happening for a while now, but we still need to get this bill voted on as soon as possible. Our approach is to reach out to as much media and news as possible. The press and coverage are extremely necessary to put pressure on voting on this bill.
Here is a link to our Letter to the editor which was recently published in the Raleigh News and Observer: https://www.newsobserver.com./opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article244212472.html
We are also working to create a video detailing our work and the issue.
If you think you could help with anything, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
Mission Statement: Repeal G.S. 100-2.1 in order to permanently remove hateful Confederate monuments from public spaces across North Carolina.
Petition (which can also be read when you click the link below)
Repeal state law GS 100-2.1, enacted in 2015 by the NC Legislature only to prevent people from removing hateful symbols from public spaces. The law reads that a state-owned “object of remembrance” (Confederate monuments etc.) can only be relocated or removed temporarily, and then must be returned within 90 days.
Most of NC’s Confederate monuments were erected during the time of Jim Crow to further the white supremacist agenda. The most noteworthy of these is the 75-foot tall monument that is right in front of Raleigh’s Old Capitol Building. It was erected on May 20th, 1895, by the State of North Carolina and the Women’s Monument Association. It supported a racist agenda, “a power play meant to intimidate those looking to come to the seat of justice or the seat of the law” (Jane Dailey- a history professor at the University of Chicago). These monuments depict Confederate soldiers and leaders as heroes, rather than individuals who fought against and broke up the Union to uphold slavery. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument was unveiled by the granddaughter of Stonewall Jackson and white supremacist Alfred Waddell, who in 1898, led a massacre of African American elected officials and citizens in Wilmington. This monument is just one example of the many symbols of injustice and racism built across North Carolina that are offensive to African Americans, and to North Carolinians who oppose racism.
In 2017, Governor Roy Cooper attempted to move the Soldiers and Sailors to Bentonville Battleground, an NC Civil War battlefield located in Johnston County. Roy Cooper and other legislators have been fighting to move the monument to a more appropriate historical place. GS100-2.1 has so far prevented his attempts. “It is time for North Carolina to realize that we can document and learn from our history without idolizing painful symbols,”- Governor Cooper
Take down this symbol of hate in our state capital. Your signature demonstrates your commitment to justice and change. #takehatedown
