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NAACP at Ole Miss Says New Plaque Must Mention Slavery on Confederate Monument
The Confederate Monument is prepared for the new plaque.
The NAACP chapter at the University of Mississippi issued a statement last night to say the new plaque soon to appear on the Confederate monument must mention slavery, or it is otherwise a failure of diversity.
The university NAACP said in its statement last night: “The administration of this incredibly diverse university woefully fails its students, faculty and staff when it does not accurately acknowledge the true history of the Confederacy.”
The new plaque, soon to be placed on the Confederate Monument by end of March, is a part of former Chancellor Dan Jones’ 2014 Action Plan that intends to contextualize the existence of Confederate historical monuments on the university campus.
This past Friday, University of Mississippi chancellor Jeff Vitter issued a letter to reveal the language of the new plaque:
As Confederate veterans were passing from the scene in increasing numbers, memorial associations built monuments in their memory all across the South. This statue was dedicated by citizens of Oxford and Lafayette County in 1906. On the evening of September 30, 1962, the statue was a rallying point where a rebellious mob gathered to prevent the admission of the University’s first African American student. It was also at this statue that a local minister implored the mob to disperse and allow James Meredith to exercise his rights as an American citizen. On the morning after that long night, Meredith was admitted to the University and graduated in August 1963.
NAACP criticized the new language, saying that the mention of James Meredith was unnecessary in the plaque. The organization says this decision by the university is “both offensive and a total minimization of the Battle of Oxford which was waged in the defense of white supremacy against him.”
Their statement read, “The United Daughters of the Confederacy, who erected this monument and dedicated it to the university on May 10th, 1906, did not envision this university being integrated by an Afro-American student, who a generation before, would have been relegated to the position of slavery. Our administration should clarify why that chapter decided to erect the monument on this campus, and elsewhere, contextualize spaces that provide reasons for why a ‘rebellious mob gathered to prevent the admission of the University’s first African American student.’”
HottyToddy.com is working to get a comment from University officials.
Below is a picture of the statement which NAACP posted on its Facebook page:
Courtesy Facebook / UMNAACP
Callie Daniels Bryant is the senior managing editor at HottyToddy.com. She can be reached at callie.daniels@hottytoddy.com.
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E J
March 15, 2016 at 10:22 am
the plaque is to provide information for this individual monument……
it is not to give a history lesson of the Confederacy…we have a library for that
those people are never going to be happy we are about to find out if Vitter has any stones
Anonymous
March 15, 2016 at 11:41 am
A huge THANK YOU to the NAACP for this.
The University has a great opportunity to learn and to respond positively.
To do otherwise is to continue failing to deal with the truth.
Enough already! Embrace today and tomorrow! Move this University forward so it will grow and prosper, and not be lessened by the Past.
Truth does set you free. Don’t fear it!
Good job, NAACP. Thank you.
– an old white guy
William C.McHann
March 15, 2016 at 11:46 am
You can never appease these people.Last time I checked facebook the University of Mississippi NAACP chapter had 14 members.Why are we even listening to them.Vitter has already made both sides unhappy.Leave history alone.
Mississippi mudws
March 15, 2016 at 12:21 pm
It is demonstrably true that Mississippi entered the war to preserve slavery, I’m not sure the 1906 memorial is the best place for such a statement. Slavery played a much larger role in the history of the University, Weren’t the Lyceum, the Croft Institute, the Barnard Observatory, all built by slave labor? The Hilgard Cut certainly was! The historical markers on these buildings should make this clear, and not try to whitewash our history. In addition, the historical marker for University High School (next to the music building) should state that this school served only the WHITE students of Oxford, even after the University itself accepted African American students.
I agree with the premise that the role of slavery, as well as that of segregation, should be acknowledged in our historical markers. I’m not sure the Rebel soldier memorial is the right place for it, however.
Jan
March 15, 2016 at 12:40 pm
Why do we have to put anything to explain anything? If people would read true history books and not rely on the so called “media” for their information and knowledge, we wouldn’t have to worry about this stuff.
Barry
March 15, 2016 at 1:05 pm
Trying to explain the monument and its connection to the past and future of the university is a space of about 650 characters is no easy task. I do commend the University for attempting. Much of the criticism aimed at the chancellor & university is unwarranted and not helpful to anyone. This is especially true where the “Our State Flag Foundation” is concerned. For a group that says they are only concerned with having a state flag (of any design) flown over all 8 university campuses, their social media ranting about this plaque is almost comical and pulls the sheet off their hypocrisy.
It is impossible to make everyone happy with something so controversial and emotional, but trying to move forward is better than doing nothing. I doubt any of us could have done better given the circumstances.
Reb Sheldon
March 15, 2016 at 3:23 pm
Just write “slavery” on the bottom of the plaque. No context; just give in to them. That’s the only way the university is going to get by, is by giving in to whatever they say.
That way, 6 months from now when the NAACP says something else has to be put on the plaque, it will be simple to do…
Sharon Neff
March 15, 2016 at 5:44 pm
I never owned slaves, nor did any white person on campus in the last hundred or so years. No black person on campus has been a slave, nor has any black person on campus in the past hundred or so years.
GET OVER IT!!
Billy Ethridge
March 15, 2016 at 6:29 pm
Requests by Mississippians and others to not inscribe comments about slavery will cease to be argued about when and only when racial bigotry ceases to be a meaningful reality in Mississippi. I suspect that will be a while. Arguing about this and that item that demonstrates that Mississippi has changed in many ways, while being true, nonetheless misses the point. The point is that the social, moral and economic damage done to all Mississippians is deeper than any one plaque could even hope to convey. Nonetheless, piece by piece, the truth can be “reconstructed” with such relatively small acknowledgements. FYI, I am a multi-generational caucasian descendent, starting before Mississippi was even a state, and on both sides of my family.
Forrest
March 15, 2016 at 7:48 pm
There are 14 people in this organization? Really?
We are really going to worry about 14 people? If these 14 people were the Sons of Confederate Veterans no one would pay any attention. But colored? Oh my, let’s all worry about that. Sell crazy somewhere else, I am all stocked up.
FacsRfriendly
March 16, 2016 at 6:49 am
NAACP. If an organization were labeled NAAWP would it not be called racist? Why the double standard.
Gayle henry
March 16, 2016 at 8:07 am
At some point we must learn to compromise. This plaque is thoughtfully worded, and the committee took a great deal of time to come up with appropriate wording. There are so many more things we should be passionate about: poor education, teen pregnancy, lack of jobs, need for technical training, better infrastructure, clean water. Let us try to find common ground, go forward, and try to make life in Mississippi better for all.
Reb
March 16, 2016 at 8:35 am
The Confederate Monument is dedicated to the honor and bravery of the Confederate soldier, the monument should stand as it has since 1906. Mississippi law prohibits the removal or alteration of any memorial or statues dedicated to veterans of war. The same law also prohibits the renaming of streets dedicated to Civil War Veterans! The University is in violation of this law.
Anonymous
March 16, 2016 at 8:38 am
Based on a number of comments here, it is clear that Oxford, Mississippi is home to at least some racists.
The number of comments about “those people” reveals quite a bit about the authors; mostly that they continue to hold onto the idea that two separate Americas exist – one for whites and one for “those others”.
This demonstrates a remarkably ignorant understanding of our nation’s founding and history. They seem to believe history began and ended with the Civil War, and even then, it should be considered only from the point of view of the losers.
They continue to be losers.
The rest of the world moves on.
Come on, U of M, move on with the rest of the world!
Confused
March 16, 2016 at 12:51 pm
I question the need to add any mention of slavery, because I have a hard time believing anyone in this day of time would not already know that slavery was the cause of the Civil War. My own criticism of the plaque is the failure to mention the Rev. Duncan Gray by name.
To anonymous, I would like to say this:
The University of Mississippi, as an institution, HAS moved on. This is not to say that every individual has, such as those freshmen from Georgia who created a sensation by vandalizing the Meredith statue. But the University in the 21st century celebrates the courage of James Meredith, the achievements of black faculty, black student government leaders, black homecoming queens, and all areas of excellence, whether it be academics, athletics, or arts.
WE are all a part of Ole MIss. Yes, I use that nickname with full knowledge of its origins, because it doesn’t matter what those words meant over a century ago. Now it only is a term of affection for the school WE all love.
The events of 1962 are dead and buried and never to be repeated. Like the Civil War, it is ancient history. In both cases the right side won. Too many people like to point to Mississippi and say that evil lives there. It’s easier than taking a hard look in their own back yards. Maybe you should consider moving on as well.