Why HPC voted to remove Confederate monument

The Historic Preservation Commission is a volunteer board that encourages and engages in activities pertaining to the preservation of the city's historic resources. The commission welcomed the mayor's request to review the C.S.A. Monument and provide a recommendation to the city council. It was a unique meeting but aligned with our purpose as a commission.

The commission approached this issue from the viewpoint of historic preservationist and exhaustively researched for this discussion. The commission considered recommendations from The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the history of both the monument and the local United Daughters of the Confederacy chapter, the actions of other local government organizations, and many other resources.

The HPC unanimously passed a recommendation for the immediate removal of the Confederate States of America (CSA) monument from Iver's Square and that the monument be stored until such time a permanent home can be found for the monument, which includes a covenant to insure it is appropriately contextualized. In addition, the new home should not be on public property or supported by public funding.

We reached this decision by considering the "historic" nature of the monument, the appropriateness of its location, the context in which it was erected, and the stance of experts in the field.

When the C.S.A. Monument was relocated in 1995 it lost its "integrity" as defined by the National Park Service and is therefore not historic, unlike the Union fountain, bandstand and steps, which are a historic part of the Common Pleas Courthouse grounds.

The erecting of the monument during the Jim Crow Era, by a group with a revisionist past, led the commission to question the appropriateness of it remaining on the grounds of the new City Hall. These grounds are not established to be educational but are a public civil space in which all should feel welcomed. It was important to the commission that the monument be relocated to an educational space, that can preserve and appropriately contextualize the purpose and story of this monument.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation summed up the responsibility of communities with, "While some have suggested that removal may result in erasing history, we believe that removal may be necessary to achieve the greater good of ensuring racial justice and equality. And their history needs not end with their removal."

In closing, I want to commend my fellow commissioners for their passionate study of this issue, thank the community members who attended our meeting to listen to the discussion, and our advisors who helped us prepare for this meeting. It is important for the public to know that the commission did not make this recommendation lightly. If you are interested in the role of the Historic Preservation in the community, please attend our monthly meeting, which is held every third Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m.

Brianna DeWitt is the chairwoman of the Cape Girardeau Historic Preservation Commission.