S.C. monument to honor Civil War hero Robert Smalls
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - For the first time ever, an individual African American will be permanently honored on the grounds outside South Carolina’s State House.
Now we’re getting our first look at what the monument to South Carolina and American hero Robert Smalls will look like – and why its location is so significant.
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“This is a man who did extraordinary things, but he’s an equal, and we need to go ahead and exemplify that with our actions and treat him as an equal,” said Rep. Jermaine Johnson, D-Richland.
A group of state lawmakers believe this statue will accomplish that -- on grounds dotted with memorials to South Carolina politicians … and more than one white supremacist and segregationist.
It’ll be the first monument outside South Carolina’s State House of an individual African American – Robert Smalls.
“This isn’t gonna be done haphazardly. This is gonna be a very — 200 years from now, when you’re looking at the State House grounds, that statue will still be up there,” said Rep. Brandon Cox, R-Berkeley.
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The design from sculptor Basil Watson was picked by a committee predominantly of state lawmakers.
It’ll commemorate the life of a man born into slavery in Beaufort … who sailed himself, his crew, and their families to freedom on a Confederate ship during the Civil War … and later served South Carolina in the state legislature and Congress.
The monument will sit atop a base – which the committee suggested include s with biographical information about Smalls – and a quote from a speech he gave during South Carolina’s 1895 constitutional convention.
“And I quote, ‘My race needs no special defense, for the past history of them and this country proves them to be the equal of any people anywhere. All they need is an equal chance in the battle of life,’” Johnson said.
The monument commission had some conversations about other options that more overtly depicted the story of Smalls’ life – but ultimately decided this one fits the style of existing statues on the State House grounds.
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“The simplicity of this statue, of one man on a pedestal who is equal to the other people that are memorialized on the State House grounds, is the best depiction,” said Mike Shealy. Robert Smalls Monument Commission chair.
The monument will be right outside the visitors’ entrance to the State House – which lawmakers hope students especially see when they come here for field trips.
The monument will also be right across from that statue honoring segregationist “Pitchfork” Ben Tillman – who opposed and later undid much of the work Smalls fought for.
The monument commission will now get to work raising money for the statue – which they plan to do entirely from private donations.
They say there’s no estimated cost or timeline for when it’ll be done – though some lawmakers floated the idea of unveiling it in time for the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution – next year.
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