Relocation of Person County Confederate Monument
On July 14th, 2020 the Person County Commissioners voted 5-0 in a resolution submitted by now Chair Gordon Powell to approve the removal and relocation of the Confederate Monuments located in front of our courthouse facing Main St. This approval was the result of hard work on behalf of the citizens of Person County, over 1,000 who signed a petition dedicated to the preservation of peace in our community and to prevent any further disruption in our uptown public spaces. This approval was not without a fundamental constraint. That the funds used to move this statue not be taxpayer county funds, but private funds that were to be raised. The initial private donor who committed to paying for the removal backed out in August, and this was swept under the rug by our local leaders, who failed to inform the public after being questioned about the removal that this change had taken place. This not only was an intentional lack of communication on their part, but an intentional omission that was made in the hopes that we would forget, that time would march on, and that the statues would remain. This will not be the case.
This is why PAIR- PERSONIANS AGAINST INJUSTICE & RACISM is establishing this crowdfunding, so that we can raise the required monies to get these statues moved from the courthouse to the Veterans Park as the resolution legally adopted by the County Commissioners states. This will in effect, remove the statues dedicated to Confederate Veterans to an appropriate place as required by General Statute § 100-2.1. It will also preserve the statue for those who wish to view it in the future so that they may do so in an appropriate setting, and not in front of a County government building where such statues can have a perception that is not intended. No matter whether you agree with this statue existing or not, I think we can all agree that there is an appropriate place for them to exist, should they have to. In front of our courthouse on Main St. may not only be detrimental and insensitive to our citizens, but also in the recruitment of businesses that wish to operate in the uptown area, or Person County. The optics are poor. Times have changed and we believe the citizens of Person County are fully capable of remembering their history while being mindful of those who live here and will continue to in the future. If you feel compelled to give, please do. We are hoping that some monetary commitment by the people in this community will go towards showing the desire to move this monument. I’m not looking for 10 people to donate $2500. I’m looking for the 2500 that can donate $10! You can also donate via CASHAPP by sending your donation to $PAIRRox and in the “for” memo line type “statue” so that we can differentiate between donations to our organization and those going toward the statue relocation.
Who are PAIR? PAIR is Personians (from Person County NC) Against Injustice and Racism. We are a North Carolina state and Federally registered nonprofit that was organized by a group of concerned citizens that came together in the wake of the deaths of unarmed minorities to start having the hard and necessary conversations pertaining to racism and injustices that exist within our community. We also work towards equity in education, politics, criminal justice, and social issues.
You can find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/personiansunited
