Does Christopher Columbus monument support white supremacy?

Photo courtesy of the Civic Arts Project

Though many facts about Christopher Columbus continue to be disputed–his birthday, whether or not he “discovered America”, etc.– we know that he has his own federal holiday, is the namesake of Ohio’s capital city, and is honored everyday on the lawn of Capitol Square with a massive, copper-plated statue.

Since the attack in Charlottesville, public monuments have been under much scrutiny for representing white supremacy.

The Columbus statue in downtown is the latest monument on the chopping block.

Groups in Columbus, including Showing Up for Racial Justice and People’s Justice Project, have recently voiced demands for the monument to be removed. 10tv reported on their recent protest at City Hall.

Mayor Ginther chipped in his two cents with this statement:

“I support the removal of monuments celebrating the Confederacy, but I would urge people to remember that the disturbing and tragic events that unfolded in Charlottesville were not about statues, but about persistent racism in our country. There are many perspectives on the Christopher Columbus statue, but let’s not be distracted from the need to address the real problem: the racial divide in our community and across the country.”

Is the statue of Christopher Columbus a symbol of white supremacy? Are these claims invalid? Should it be removed?

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