WADESBORO — The Anson County Board of Commissioners voted to remove the confederate statue outside the Wadesboro courthouse in a 4 – 2 decision during their meeting on Tuesday, July 7. The statue is to be held in storage and then moved to private property at a later date.
The statue was removed around 5:15 a.m. the following morning, Wednesday, July 8.
“I knew there would be a vote (on the statue)” said Anson County Attorney Scott Forbes in a Facebook post. “I contacted a monument company in case it passed. It passed. The company received notice last night. They were here 9 hours later.”
Board of Commissioner’s Vice-Chair Jarvis T. Woodburn motioned to remove the statue. It was seconded by Commissioner Vancine Sturdivant. Commissioners Bobby Sikes and Lawrence Gatewood opposed the motion.
“I want to know more about it before I vote on (removing) it,” said Sikes.
“Likewise,” said Gatewood, who added, “I would like to know what the plan is. Where are going to move it and are we responsible for funding it.”
Barron Monroe, Anson County Manager, in response to Gatewood’s inquiry, said, “The tentative plan is this: to remove the statue, keep in storage for right now, and then find a location for it. Funded by a private citizen who has been interested in obtaining the statue. The statue will be placed in a private location owned by this Anson County citizen to allow people to check, view, and attend to the statue.”
Current and former citizens lined up outside the meeting room and outside the building waiting for their turn to speak to the Board concerning their thoughts on the statue. Due to COVID-19, once the individual was done speaking the were asked to leave the building to make room for someone else to enter.
These citizens each had their own reasons for speaking.
“I feel it is completely ridiculous that we even have to be here today for a statue to get torn down when everybody knows it’s history,” said Karisma Lisenby, Polkton native and current Winston-Salem State University student.”
“I feel like us having to fight this fight to get this statue down, it goes to show that people value the statue more than they value human lives,” continued Lisenby. “I shouldn’t have to fight for you guys to acknowledge what we’ve been through, what my ancestors have been through. People hold this statue in such a high standard because you say it’s a part of your history. What about our history?”
Morven resident Mianna Deberry said, “(The statue) was put up in the 1900’s, 40 years after the war took place. They put it up during Jim Crow. It tells us that our Black skin does not matter. It hurts that it takes a lot of young people to come together to say, ‘Look, we got in here in these Board meetings. But we are here and we hope that you (the Board) hear us.’”
An individual who identified themselves only as Trish said, “I moved to Anson a few years ago, there was a sense of community and shared history. When I heard about this, I felt strongly about coming down in attempt to preserve this country’s history. I feel that tearing down these monuments is disrespectful to the people who suffered. The people who were indentured servants. (Removing the statue) is like saying that didn’t exist, it did. I feel as if it’s something to be preserved.”
Michelle Martin Blair, Anson County resident, said, “Instead of tearing down our past, why not build our future? The statue represents the union soldiers that died for our freedom.” The statue is modeled after Ansonville resident and Confederate soldier John Randle Richardson, who was a member of the 23rd Regiment.
“As far as the current situation, it’s very disheartening,” said veteran and former Anson County resident Vince Dunlap. “Any sane, logical person will be able to tell you the history behind the statue, what it represents, what the ideology is behind it. The Board of Commissioners are the ones in charge of the county, so we have to play their game. We’re going to come here and speak from our heart and let them know how we feel.”
Details on the final location of the monument as well as on the private citizen who funded its removal are still forthcoming.
Reach Charles Wood at 704 994 5471 or at [email protected]