|
African-American marker needed
We think the time has come for a monument to be erected in Pack Square, downtown’s centerpiece, to recognize under-represented contributions to Asheville.
Indeed, the African-American Heritage Commission has been working diligently for months, trying to see that a black monument is built.
David Gantt and Jan Davis also deserve praise for recently pointing out that there are many different perspectives on history and acknowledging the importance of recognizing the contributions of the African-American community to Asheville.
The aforementioned remarks were made during their separate addresses at the Vance Monument rededication in downtown Asheville’s Pack Square on June 6. The ceremony followed months of renovation.
“I see no reason that there shouldn’t be a marker somewhere in this area to recognize that community that is not represented here,” Davis, a member of City Council, said.
Gantt, chairman of the Buncombe Board of Commissioners, Gantt said the Vance Monument creates an opportunity for constructive dialogue about the harsh realities of Asheville’s segregated past.
Zebulon Vance, for whom the memorial is named, served as a Confederate officer in the Civil War and later as governor of North Carolina and as a U.S. senator. His family owned slaves before the Civil War.
“I do think (Vance) would welcome the opportunity to tell both sides of everything,” Gantt said. “If we don’t, we’re going to repeat the mistakes of the past.”
A black monument is long overdue.
|
