While we accept these monuments as a partial representation of the history of that era, they embody only one point of view. To tell the whole story, monuments to other historical experiences of that period and today must be created. 

All those who fought deserve our respect for the sacrifices they made, whether they volunteered or were drafted, regardless of which side they joined during the Civil War. 

Historical monuments in public places, other than in museums, should not include symbols of racial hatred such as Confederate flags, as they represent white supremacy, slavery, racial oppression, and secession from the United States. 

A courthouse should be an inherent symbol of justice, applicable to all citizens; therefore, it is appropriate to construct additional monuments, statues, and/or plaques at or near the same location as the current Confederate monuments, to provide recognition of all the people of this region and their descendants. 

This includes, but is not limited to, those: 

• who were enslaved, lynched, or otherwise terrorized. 

• who were African Americans and fought in every American war. 

• who were impoverished because of depressed wages in a slave economy.

• who were women and children that experienced hunger, poverty, and depredation without the labor and protection of the men who fought.

• who were white Southerners from Western North Carolina who fought in the Union Army during the Civil War. 

• who were abolitionists aiding the Underground Railroad. 

• who were activists against Jim Crow laws and fought for civil rights. 

• who were displaced by European settlers, 

• and who were champions for liberty, justice, equality, and dignity in Western North Carolina. 

We seek to correct the inaccurate depictions of regional history that honor only those who promoted white supremacy. 

Our community and elected leaders have an obligation to correct these omissions with public monuments honoring the efforts and sacrifices of the previously mentioned groups, thus providing a more complete and accurate portrait of the history and heritage of the people of Western North Carolina. 

Submitted by the 

Jackson County NAACP