CLARKSBURG, W.Va. – More than 50 people, for and against, addressed Harrison County commissioners about moving the Stonewall Jackson statue from the courthouse lawn. Commissioners ultimately voted 2-1 to keep the statue in place.
Colin Grant Jackson lives in Illinois, he told commissioners he’s a descendent of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson and he has relatives that remain in Harrison County, some African-American. He said the statue does not belong in front of a building dedicated to impartial justice and the Daughters of the Confederacy had more in mind than just to honor Stonewall Jackson.
“It’s clear that their intent with the reaction of this statue and several other statues 90-years after the conflict ended was to spread white supremacy tactics,”Jackson said,”To scare off the black population from voting and to scare them from speaking out in the 1950’s, that’s what this statue is for.”
General Stonewall Jackson was known for military tactics that are still taught today at the U.S Military Academy at West Point. Growing up Jackson was rumored to give reading lessons to slaves in exchange for pine knots he used to ready with at night.
Area resident Jennifer Olyoke told commissioners the statue was part of history, and removing the statue does nothing to change the range of emotions people are faced with as topics like slavery are brought into the open.
“Where do you draw the line and what’s next?”Olyoke said,”My bet is that the next argument is are we’re going to be having is are we going to follow the way of Seattle and Milwaukee and defund our police departments next, this leads to complete and utter anarchy and it needs to stop.”
Another resident, Bill Foster believes the statue is fitting monument for a historical figure and contends the Clarksburg area has moved well beyond racism.
“The area, which has had a black mayor and a black police chief and has black people in other positions around the city and county now,”Foster said,”I’m sorry, but if there’s nobody black here to complain about it I don’t know what the complaint is.”
Those in opposition to the statue say it’s stain on the community and should be replaced with a tribute to immigrants to the hard work and diversity of the people.
Commission president Ron Watson introduced a plan to allow registered voters in the county vote on the issue through the clerk’s web page, but no action was taken on the proposal. Watson said he was in favor of keeping the statue and cited a quote from George W. Bush,”A great nation does not hide it’s history, it faces it’s flaws and corrects them.”
Commissioner Patsy Trecost declined commenting during the meeting but was quoted in local media,”“We all have to be open-minded at what we can do to heal this country and to remind ourselves that we all are created equal. No one is greater than the other, and no one is less than the other. The best thing we can do is love one another and have compassion toward one another when it comes to their thoughts and their feelings.”
Commissioner David Hinkle said he could not ask people fo different races to walk by a statue of a man who supported the Confederacy to come into the courthouse. He also had a reaction to Trecost’s silence.
“You’ve heard from two commissioners, but one commissioner does not want to comment on the subject,”Hinkle said,”I don’t understand why he has no opinion on this statue and that bothers me.”
Following the impasse, Hinkle made a motion to return the statue to the Daughters of the Confederacy that was seconded by Watson. Watson and Trecost voted against the motion, Hinkle was the lone yes vote.
Commission president Ron Watson says for now the issue is settled.