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University Clarifies Flower Removal Policy for Confederate Monuments
By Talbert Toole
Lifestyles Editor
talbert.toole@hottytoddy.com
Those who support the memory of the Confederate soldiers laid flowers at the Civil War cemetery located on the University of Mississippi campus on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27. Photo by Talbert Toole.
A Facebook group called “Make Ole Miss Great Again” alleged that flowers placed at the University of Mississippi’s Confederate statue for the past two months were removed by the landscaping department. The group also stated the removal of the flowers was decided by members of the UM administration, specifically Interim Chancellor Larry Sparks.
However, Rod Guajardo, associate director of strategic communications, told Hottytoddy.com Tuesday morning this claim was false.
“In recent days, flowers have been left by members of the public at the base of the Confederate monument on our campus. The university’s Landscape Services team is leaving the flowers in place for a period of time before moving them to the Confederate Cemetery on campus,” Guajardo said. “This approach enables the university staff to maintain our physical campus and normal operations.”
The controversy regarding the removal of the flowers initially began on April 24, when Andy McWilliams had flowers sent to the statue on campus.
Photos taken by Hottytoddy.com showed the note attached to the flowers read as “In memory of millions of people freed by the emancipation proclamation.”
However, McWilliams said the note originally read as “In memory of The University Greys from Son’s of the Confederate Veterans Camp,” and claimed someone must have replaced the note or written the new message on the other side.
“That’s like stealing from the dead,” McWilliams said. “Stealing their honor.”
McWilliams said his great-great-grandfather was in Company D of the 11th Mississippi Infantry Regiment.
“I have personal feelings about this,” he said. “He fought alongside the University Greys and survived Pickett’s Charge.”
Five days later on April 29, another vase of flowers was placed at the base of the Confederate statue located on the Oxford Historic Square.
According to statements made by members of the “Make Ole Miss Great Again” page, many decided to begin sending flowers to both statues and the Confederate Cemetery located south of the Tad Pad Coliseum.
However, it was George “K-Rack” Johnson, leader of Memphis based organization “Confederate 901” and the “Mississippi Stands Rally,” who began to organize a movement to place flowers at the statues and cemetery this past Memorial Day. Johnson came to campus on Monday to honor the Confederate soldiers who he said are considered United States veterans.
Flowers were laid at the base of the Confederate statue located on the Oxford Historic Square on April 29. Photo by Talbert Toole.
Johnson said he agreed with Guajardo’s statement regarding the flowers; he said he visited the campus on Monday to pay his respects at the statue and Confederate Cemetery.
Approached by a University Police Department officer at the cemetery, Johnson said the officer stated once those who paid their respects left the area the flowers would be taken up.
Johnson asked the officer when this policy to remove the flowers was implemented.
“He clearly stated the policy was implemented within the last 24 hours,” Johnson said.
“It is an absolute shame that on a day that is set aside to do exactly what [we have] done today to make it a political thing. All veterans in this country should be respected regardless of what war they fought in.”
Many flowers that were placed at the base of the monument in the Confederate cemetery were also accompanied by notes that read, “In memory of fallen soldiers everywhere.”
Flowers laid at the base of both the Confederate statue and Civil War cemetery at the University of Mississippi had notes that said “In Memory of Fallen Soldiers Everywhere. By Talbert Toole.
At approximately 1 p.m. Wednesday, the flowers in the Confederate Cemetery still remained.
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George Ball
May 29, 2019 at 4:09 pm
They removed beautiful vibrant flowers from the monument on Sunday before Memorial Day which was Monday. The flowers were intended as a Memorial Day tribute to the fallen soldiers the monument represents. I believe the removal was politically motivated by the current leadership at Ole Miss who attempting to force the liberal opinion of a few on the majority opinion who believe the monument should remain where it has stood for the last 100 years. The Chancellor has asked permission to move the monument. Any show of support such as a Memorial Day tribute of flowers doesn’t fit the liberal narrative that the monument is somehow offensive. I believe that is why the beautiful, vibrant flowers were moved from a prominent location and placed where there is hardly any traffic.
Harriet Wright
May 29, 2019 at 4:13 pm
This article is not only false but misleading, too. I have had flowers delivered on three separate occasions and the first time according to the florist they were delivered about 10 am but people who were at the statue until mid afternoon never saw them. Then I had them delivered again for Mother’s Day weekend which was also Graduation weekend. The florist did take a picture of them being delivered at 8 am because of Graduation. By 10 am when people started posting pictures, they were not there. We finally discovered them a few days later at the Confederate Cemetery. The campaign to place flowers at the Memorial during Memorial Day weekend was started back in April not by Mr. Johnson, but by William Gardner. We donated funds for not only a full page ad but also flowers to be placed at the Memorial. The flowers were beautiful! You should have posted that picture NOT the staged picture that you used. Someone checked on them around 10 pm on Saturday night but by Sunday morning they were gone. They were NOT dying, dead, or even wilted. When members contacted the police department on Sunday about the theft, they were informed that the University Police were asked to move them by the Chancellor. Several people were told that but by the time the office was back opened on Tuesday, the administration had changed their tune. They especially changed it when they started getting bombarded with phone calls from those of us who placed the flowers asking why they were moved. I am glad that someone in the news media picked up this story but please do your job and state the facts!
Rebecca Rishe
May 29, 2019 at 4:26 pm
As a journalist your facts should be check and rechecked. The police officer was at the Circle not the cemetery. What he said was correct, that was Memorial Day. The flowers were always watered and attended to. When flowers started to wilt, they were removed.
Scott Darnall
May 29, 2019 at 4:40 pm
Complete B.S article. How many more lies can the university sell?
Tom Ray
May 29, 2019 at 5:11 pm
The EMANCIPATION Proclamation freed NO ONE.—-What kind of “History ” program are they teaching there? Lincoln had no authority in the CSA, a different country.
Mark H Stowers
May 29, 2019 at 6:26 pm
It’s Tad Smith Coliseum. It’s nickname is the Tad Pad but please use the correct name.
Wendolyn Childress
May 29, 2019 at 7:59 pm
That is not a picture of the flowers! Please check your facts.
Barry a Rose
May 29, 2019 at 8:51 pm
It’s time to go to war w/ the socialists that run our University !!
Andy McWilliams
May 29, 2019 at 9:34 pm
I know people who watered them every day and removed them when they starts getting old. These were the flowers I had delivered April 24.
Andy McWilliams
May 29, 2019 at 9:36 pm
I’m in! I’ve got Confederate blood in my veins.
Tasha Salad
May 29, 2019 at 10:46 pm
These folks worried about flowers disappearing but didn’t think anything about their ancestors making people of color disappear! What snowflakes!
CLM
May 29, 2019 at 11:49 pm
What an asinine thing to say. We didn’t make anyone disappear. Our ancestors were defending their land and their families.
Richard Taylor
May 30, 2019 at 10:40 am
The notion that the average Confederate waged war to preserve slavery is a tenuous one at best. Only 6 percent of Southerners owned slaves, and 3 percent of that 6 percent owned the majority. Call me a naïve, revisionist redneck if you like, but I refuse to believe the common soldier was motivated to sacrifice his life on behalf of some deep, heart-felt belief in slavery.
Thomas Luke
May 30, 2019 at 4:32 pm
Is this the correct ID???? TASHA SALAD – dragqueenmerch
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If so, I laugh in your face!
Loretta
May 30, 2019 at 4:37 pm
It seems as though everyone claims to be a victim these days.
Eye Nose What Eye Nose
May 30, 2019 at 4:59 pm
According to Google info Tasha Salad is an Admitted from Beaver Dam, Kentucky. This is probably the same person – don’t think there’d be two using that name.
Wesley Dale Franklin
May 30, 2019 at 11:42 pm
Doubtful it will taken as good advise yet. Perhaps the college could be convinced to have a singular class on real 1855-1875 history taught by a Southern Teacher with Southern Military Ancestors.
Christopher Ray
May 31, 2019 at 3:51 pm
Sounds like a reasonable response. I would just throw the flowers away. Memorial day is meant to honor those who died in service of the United States. Kind of disrespectful to honor those who fought against the United States.