I've seen this statue hundreds of times in my life and was always touched by it's drama and sentiment.Thousands of Americans have signed a petition to remove the statue depicting President Abraham Lincoln standing over a freed slave in Boston’s Park Square, as a national movement to remove historical monuments has gained traction following the death of George Floyd.The Emancipation Memorial statue that has stood in Park Square for more than 100 years shows Lincoln with one hand raised standing above a half-clothed freed slave with broken chains on his wrist who is kneeling at Lincoln’s feet. The statue's pedestal reads “A race set free and the country at peace. Lincoln rests from his labors.” The memorial represents Lincoln freeing African American slaves at the end of the Civil War. The removal of historic art that portrays historic moments is erasing history. Art is meant to be evocative and inspire contemplation in a way that cannot be communicated in any other way. It is not always pleasant or beautiful but it is always honest.
I don't find it offense so much as fictional -- an interpretation that is fanciful, improbable and intellectually dishonest. It doesn't denote anything Lincoln actually did at any time, so it isn't historical either. The sentiment it attempts to arouse would not come until much later, probably at the time the statue was built in the 20th Century, probably as purely political rhetoric, which is always offensive. It was not Lincoln's sentiment, however. I think it's ridiculous, in a fantastical Spielbergian fictional way. But would I tear it down? Not on a bet. That discussion is for Boston, as I don't give a ****. Not my problem. I wrote off Camelot for good back in 2008. So what do others think?
I hear democrats in congress are putting together a list of statues they want removed. What are the odds Strom Thurmond is included? zero perhaps.
At the very least, they need to take that dress of of lady liberty and change her/him/it to a transgender statue.
If you really want poetic justice for the Byrd statue just think ------------------ BIRDS WILL CRAP ON BYRD
I live in MA and when my wife and I saw this one the news the other day we couldn't believe what we were hearing. We couldn't figure out how in hell the person being interviewed could possibly be offended by the statue.
Hey since we are having another thread on statues did anyone read about the Jeff Davis statue ? They found a burbon bottle when they removed it. EMPTY, That historical ooops historical statur was put up in 1936. Ain't that historic as all hell).
The point is this statue does not tell us much about Lincoln or emancipation historically. It tells us how the event was perceived by Thomas Ball and to a lesser degree by those who decided it ought to be placed where it was. That means its a snapshot in the attitudes towards both Lincoln and the newly emancipated slave near that latter days of the reconstruction era. . The real question becomes can we find another representation of this hypothetical event that tells us about attitudes in 2020, and what do we do with this one?
More statue stories...... The city of New Haven, CTwhere Yale is that bastion of privilege, is taking down the statue of Columbus. New Haven is the National Headquarters of the Chatholic Organization the Knights of Columbus. My Father in law a life time member and Fourth Degree Knight would be pissed if he was still alive.
Will District of Columbia have to change it's name? How about Columbus Ohio. Is there a Columbus Georgia? There is a Columbia SC if I remember my military days! I used to have a Columbia bike it was made in the USA.
British Columbia needs to change it's name to British Churchill-Landia. Or better yet Churchill-Stan.
I don't find it offensive but I could see how the uneducated would see that as Lincoln about to pet his pet slave, just sayin
