Several tell panel they want Confederate statue returned to Durham courthouse

One year after protesters toppled a Confederate monument in Durham, city leaders are working to decide what to do with the site and other Confederate monuments.

Posted 2:29 a.m. Aug 24, 2018 — Updated 2:29 a.m. Aug 24, 2018

Candace Sweat

, WRAL reporter

DURHAM, N.C. — The latest meeting discussing how to handle public monuments in Durham was held Thursday night, just days after protesters toppled the “Silent Sam” monument in Chapel Hill.

Thursday night’s meeting was one of several that have taken place since May, but the recent toppling of the Confederate statue on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus seemed to influence public comment.

A 12-member committee was charged by the city and county with the tasks of engaging the Durham community concerning public monuments and with making recommendations to county and city leaders about how to move forward with the statue that was toppled by protesters last year at the Durham courthouse.

The committee will also identify and catalog other public monuments or symbols of the Confederacy in Durham.

“Transparent process, number one, is big to me and that everyone is feeling empowered and being a part of it as well as giving all of those diverse voices in the city of Durham. That’s why reaching out to all of the community locations is important,” said Committee Co-chairwoman Charmaine McKissick.

A Confederate statue at the courthouse was pulled down last August by several protesters who called for its removal following the deadly protests in Charlottesville, Va.

The day 'Durham stood up'

Eight people were charged in connection with the incident, but one person was found not guilty and charges were dismissed against the remaining seven in February.

Thursday night, the majority of the 10 people who spoke were not happy with the removal of the statue at the courthouse and were in favor of either having the statue re-erected or replacing it with a similar statue. That has not been the case at previous meetings.

The committee is expected to release their recommendations regarding the Confederate monuments sometime after the last meeting in October.

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