Nationwide communities are being asked to re-examine everything from their street and school names, to the statues and monuments that have stood for decades.
The question is whether these are critical pieces of history or simply monuments to oppression and hate.
In the North Bay, a group gathered Wednesday to demand that a statue of explorer Francis Drake be removed and a road named for him renamed.
There is also concern about the Columbus statue in San Francisco.
Laura Brown started an online petition to rename Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.
“Right now with Sir Francis Drake’s name all over Marin County, it symboizes that we respect and revere his history and legacy,” Brown said. “His legacy is in fact filled with hate, racism.”
Brown would like to see other symbols tied to the British explorer changed too.
The Tam Equity Campaign has petition aimed at reinvesting some police funds into services like health crisis intervention teams, remove Drake references and take down a sculpture.
“The first thing they’re seeing when they’re coming through Larkspur is a celebration of a man who sold over 1,400 people in slavery,” said Robbie Powelson, with the New Tam Equity campaign.
The creator of the sculpture in Larkspur disagrees, telling NBC Bay Area by phone that it’s about an event — a western European global adventure that would bring their flag onto shores here — and not a tribute to a man some see as an oppressor and slave trader.
Across the country cities and towns are now voting to remove statues considered symbols of racism and oppression, while others are taking matters into their own hands.
In San Francisco, the statue of Christopher Columbus was defaced again last week with paint. The Italian American One Voice Coalition is speaking out and concerned.
“It’s very distressful to hear about this and the other ones that are going on around the country because this really is based on a false narrative about the atrocities put on Columbus,” said Andre’ DiMino with the Italian American One Voice Coalition. “And Columbus is a very important symbol to all Italian Americans.”
Source: NBC Bay Area
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