The Confederate Memorial statue, colloquially known as Silent Sam, was first proposed in memory of UNC-Chapel Hill students who left college and "joined our Southern Army in defense of our State," by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1908. The statue was completed in 1913 and since has been a source of contention in the Carolina community. This university maintains the claim that the statue serves solely as remembrance of students who left the university to serve the Confederacy and defend North Carolina; with little reference to who and what these students were defending; the moral and the economic rights to enslave and own African people and their descendants. Silent Sam unquestionably stands for racism, oppression, and white supremacy. Thus, at the time of the statue’s erection, basic human rights to safety and freedom from oppression for enslaved men, women and children were not a value on this campus. The UNC-CH Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples protests the proposal presented by Chancellor Folt and the UNC Board of Trustees to fund the housing and re-erection of the “Silent Sam” statue on UNC’s campus. We are clear that there is much more embedded in the history of this statue than the remembrance of veteran students. Former confederate soldier and UNC trustee, Julian Carr gave a speech at the unveiling of the statue, in which he used passive language to describe his discontent with non-whites, and those who supported them. During his speech, he describes horsewhipping a black woman to the point of where her skirt was ripped to shreds, for insulting a white woman. He went on to say that he did so “pleasingly” while referring to the black woman as a “negro wench” and the white woman as a “southern lady.” He began this particular story by saying that the monument is important, because it reminds students that their services to the Southland did not end at Appomattox. Despite other euphemistic language used in the speech to express his disgust with non-whites, his language is a clear expression of white supremacy and the climate in which the statue was erected. This context cannot be ignored. It may serve as a tribute to student veterans, but it is recognizing students who fought to preserve ideals that this campus currently claims to refute. We, on a campus that prides itself on diversity and inclusion, are supporting a building to house a statue that serves a reminder to students that they have a duty to preserve the values of the confederacy, that reminds students of their duty to continue to fight to reproduce the racial inequality that exists in our nation. This proposal by Chancellor Folt and the UNC Board of Trustees also presents an unnecessary financial burden on the university. While UNC did not originally fund Silent Sam, then-president Francis Venable helped to raise the money for its creation by soliciting donations from alumni.These funds could have been used more efficiently by the university to help create a more welcoming, equitable and inclusive environment. Today, we are asking the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees to avoid making a similar mistake. The average in-state student pays approximately $9,005 in tuition, and with the proposed $5.3 million building fund Carolina could give scholarships to almost 590 in-state students. The average full-time professor at Carolina is paid $77,000. With this $5.3 million building fund this university could hire almost 60 more professors. There are endless possibilities for what Carolina could achieve, should these funds be properly allocated. Carolina continues to ignore the needs and desires of African American students in our fight for inclusion, respect and equity on this campus. It is in times like these where we must question, what does Carolina truly stand for? Is Carolina truly “for all kind”? The recommendation that the Board of Trustees will present to the Board of Governors makes it clear that the answer is no. The UNC-CH Chapter of the NAACP challenges Chancellor Folt, the Trustees and The university to withdraw this recommendation, work to regain the trust of the student body, and make a decision regarding the placement of Silent Sam that is truly representative of the goal of a public university “for all.” The Confederate Memorial statue, colloquially known as Silent Sam, was first proposed in memory of UNC-Chapel Hill students who left college and "joined our Southern Army in defense of our State," by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1908. The statue was completed in 1913 and since has been a source of contention in the Carolina community. This university maintains the claim that the statue serves solely as remembrance of students who left the university to serve the Confederacy and defend North Carolina; with little reference to who and what these students were defending; the moral and the economic rights to enslave and own African people and their descendants. Silent Sam unquestionably stands for racism, oppression, and white supremacy. Thus, at the time of the statue’s erection, basic human rights to safety and freedom from oppression for enslaved men, women and children were not a value on this campus. The UNC-CH Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples protests the proposal presented by Chancellor Folt and the UNC Board of Trustees to fund the housing and re-erection of the “Silent Sam” statue on UNC’s campus. We are clear that there is much more embedded in the history of this statue than the remembrance of veteran students. Former confederate soldier and UNC trustee, Julian Carr gave a speech at the unveiling of the statue, in which he used passive language to describe his discontent with non-whites, and those who supported them. During his speech, he describes horsewhipping a black woman to the point of where her skirt was ripped to shreds, for insulting a white woman. He went on to say that he did so “pleasingly” while referring to the black woman as a “negro wench” and the white woman as a “southern lady.” He began this particular story by saying that the monument is important, because it reminds students that their services to the Southland did not end at Appomattox. Despite other euphemistic language used in the speech to express his disgust with non-whites, his language is a clear expression of white supremacy and the climate in which the statue was erected. This context cannot be ignored. It may serve as a tribute to student veterans, but it is recognizing students who fought to preserve ideals that this campus currently claims to refute. We, on a campus that prides itself on diversity and inclusion, are supporting a building to house a statue that serves a reminder to students that they have a duty to preserve the values of the confederacy, that reminds students of their duty to continue to fight to reproduce the racial inequality that exists in our nation. This proposal by Chancellor Folt and the UNC Board of Trustees also presents an unnecessary financial burden on the university. While UNC did not originally fund Silent Sam, then-president Francis Venable helped to raise the money for its creation by soliciting donations from alumni.These funds could have been used more efficiently by the university to help create a more welcoming, equitable and inclusive environment. Today, we are asking the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees to avoid making a similar mistake. The average in-state student pays approximately $9,005 in tuition, and with the proposed $5.3 million building fund Carolina could give scholarships to almost 590 in-state students. The average full-time professor at Carolina is paid $77,000. With this $5.3 million building fund this university could hire almost 60 more professors. There are endless possibilities for what Carolina could achieve, should these funds be properly allocated. Carolina continues to ignore the needs and desires of African American students in our fight for inclusion, respect and equity on this campus. It is in times like these where we must question, what does Carolina truly stand for? Is Carolina truly “for all kind”? The recommendation that the Board of Trustees will present to the Board of Governors makes it clear that the answer is no. The UNC-CH Chapter of the NAACP challenges Chancellor Folt, the Trustees and The university to withdraw this recommendation, work to regain the trust of the student body, and make a decision regarding the placement of Silent Sam that is truly representative of the goal of a public university “for all.”
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