Is it time to say goodbye to the world’s monuments?
Statues of historical figures with brutal pasts are increasingly falling out of favour in many societies.
On Tuesday, June 23, 2020 at 19:30GMT:
Swept up in global anti-racism protests, dozens of historical statues have been knocked off their pedestals in recent weeks, sometimes after being defaced, beheaded or set on fire.
The monuments that have drawn the most anger include controversial figures such as Italian explorer Christopher Columbus; African coloniser King Leopold II of Belgium; and US Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Attacks on their statues have sparked a global conversation about history and the sins of the past.
For many people of color especially, monuments of imperialist leaders are hurtful because they serve as a reminder of a systemic oppression that continues to this day.
But others liken taking down the figures to censoring the past and erasing history. And some argue that the entire statue debate distracts from the more pressing cause of fighting racial inequality. Now that so many monuments have come down, there are also questions over what to do with them.
In this episode we ask, is it time to say goodbye to imperialist monuments? Join the conversation.
On this episode of The Stream, we speak with:
Julian Hayter
Historian
jepson.richmond.edu
Femi Oluwole, @Femi_Sorry
Political activist
Stephanie Collingwoode Williams, @BNFBL
Spokesperson, Belgian Network for Black Lives
Read more:
Statues toppled throughout US in protests against racism – Associated Press
Monuments of history or bigotry? The politics of statues – Al Jazeera
Toppled statues amid anti-racism protests – Al Jazeera
The statues were toppled – what happens to them now? – New York Times