The divisive Confederate monument, the focus of the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in 2017, was melted down in secret and will become a new piece of public art.
A worker cuts off the face from the Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee statue Saturday. The bronze figure, melted into ingots, was at the heart of Charlottesville's deadly 2017 Unite the Right rally.
But on Saturday the museum went ahead with its plan in secret at this small Southern foundry outside Virginia, in a town and state The Washington Post agreed not to name because of participants’ fears of violence. Some said the statue was being destroyed. Others called it a restoration. Depending on whom you asked, the bronze was being reclaimed, disrupted, or redeemed to a higher purpose. It was a grim act of justice and a celebration all in one.Schmidt, who directs the Memory Project at U-Va.
That happened under sometimes-urgent deadlines, amid security concerns and the logistical challenges of handling about 6,000 pounds of bronze. The metal requires a forklift to be moved even just a few yards, much less out of Virginia. All of this could have happened as early as January 2022. But once the lawsuit was filed to block the meltdown, the museum waited until a judge agreed to dismiss the case. A 30-day window for plaintiffs to appeal that decision expired Thursday afternoon.
The Rev. Isaac Collins, a United Methodist minister who at one point helped transport the broken-apart statue, followed with a sermon over the jet-engine whir of the furnace. He and Schmidt had organized Bible studies suggesting that celebrating the Lost Cause through public statues was a sin, and he made a similar case as he cited Bible verses and told of Charlottesville’s history of cross-burnings and Jim Crow.
In some ways, organizers said, that history only made this haunted spectacle feel more real. “Oh, my gosh. It’s like a Halloween movie back here,” Schmidt said as she walked around to view the face from the back. “That is creepy.”Finding a foundry to take on a project like this one was hardly an easy task. Plenty of people said no. But the owner of this foundry, a Black man, said he didn’t feel like he had a choice.
There were toddlers eating pizza, parents in “Swords Into Plowshares” shirts sitting on lawn chairs, and old friends sipping from paper cups filled with champagne and bourbon. Some were reuniting after previously helping with the project, and many brought their families along to witness this small moment in history.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Dothan Utilities replaces 250 lights in preparation for HalloweenSafety is always at the top of parents minds during Halloween. The best way to ensure a safer environment is to light it up.
Read more »
Tarantino’s Divisive Bruce Lee Depiction In OUATIH Revisited By Lee’s Daughter 4 Years LaterShannon Lee, Bruce Lee’s daughter, revisits Quentin Tarantino’s divisive depiction of her martial arts legend father in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.
Read more »
Metro Boomin Brings Out John Legend, Swae Lee for Red Bull SymphonicProducer Metro Boomin brought out Swae Lee, John Legend and Nav for his Red Bull Symphonic show in Los Angeles.
Read more »
Famous birthdays list for October 27, 2023 includes celebrities Lee Greenwood, Kelly OsbourneLee Greenwood and Kelly Osbourne share a birthday today. Check out our photo slideshow of celebrities and other famous people with birthdays on October 27, 2023 and find out a fun fact about each person.
Read more »
November to Remember: Sheila Jackson Lee leads roundup of intriguing mayoral racesEmily Jacobs is a congressional reporter for the Washington Examiner. She began her career at Fox News Channel as a ticker writer and then moved to the New York Post's politics team as a national political reporter.
Read more »