Williams: Richmond's monuments to oppression need to be gone, but not forgotten. MICHAEL PAUL WILLIAMS Jun 12, 2020 Jun 12, 2020 Updated Oct 20, 2022 0 1 of 2 Protesters toppled the statue of Christopher Columbus from its pedestal Tuesday night, following a rally in support of indigenous peoples. james h. wallace/TIMES-DISPATCH The statue of Christopher Columbus in Byrd Park was pulled down by protesters Tuesday night after a rally for indigenous peoples. ZACH JOACHIM/TIMES-DISPATCH/ Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save MICHAEL PAUL WILLIAMS Christopher Columbus survived multiple voyages across the high seas. But his Richmond statue met an inglorious end at the bottom of a Byrd Park lake.kAm*@F >:89E 92G6 7:8FC65 r@=F>3FD H2D @FE @7 D:89E 2?5 >:?5 2E E96 6?5 @7 pCE9FC pD96 q@F=6G2C5 2D =@42= 2?5 ?2E:@?2= 2EE6?E:@? 7@4FD65 @? E96 r@?7656C2E6 DE2EF6D @? |@?F>6?E pG6?F6] qFE 96 H2D C6>@G65 7C@> 9:D A6C49 @? %F6D52J ?:89E] %96 7@==@H:?8 ?:89E[ y6776CD@? s2G:D >6E E96 D2>6 72E6] (:==:2>D r2CE6C (:4<92> H2D E96 7:CDE r@?7656C2E6 86?6C2= E@ 72== :? E9:D 32EE=6 7@C #:49>@?5’D D@F=[ E2<6? 5@H? E96 ?:89E @7 yF?6 e :? |@?C@6 !2C<]k^Am kAm%96 A6CG2D:G6 >@@5 92D D9:7E65 7C@> H9:E6H2D9:?8 9:DE@CJ E@ F?>2D<:?8 EC2G6DE:6D[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 E@CEFC6 2?5 86?@4:56 @7 :?5:86?@FD A6@A=6 :? E96 (6DE x?5:6D 3J r@=F>3FD]k^Am People are also reading… Concord beach music Hall of Fame singer dies in crash Second arrest made in Rowan fentanyl trafficking investigation Andy Langford: One councilperson's response to outcry against ICE detention center Friday Five: Fast food fun, beer, plants, running and poetry Buying a home in Concord costs far more than renting, a new study finds Cabarrus Scroll: Outstanding performances and athletes moving to the next level Friday Five: Traffic, a new restaurant, houses and more Cabarrus Brewing goes statewide in 10th year Cabarrus Calendar Cabarrus County roads to receive upgrades Bubba Wallace to be honored by Boys & Girls Club along with his 300th start New Northwest area elementary school key project for CCS Kannapolis to host Carolinas Community Band Festival on April 25 Trump: US Navy will begin Strait of Hormuz blockade after US-Iran ceasefire talks end without agreement Titanic exhibition to make Charlotte debut this spring kAm“%@ 4@>>F?:EJ >6>36CD 2?5 @C82?:K6CD[ E96 r9C:DE@A96C r@=F>3FD ?2CC2E:G6 C6AC6D6?ED E96 7:CDE =68 @7 2 >JE9:42= 96C@6D C6=2J C246[” :? H9:49 E96 A2CE:4:A2?ED A2DD 2 32E@? 5C:G:?8 6IA=@:E2E:@? @7 =2?5 2?5 =23@C[ D2:5 r96=D62 w:88D (:D6[ 2 =@42= 24E:G:DE 2?5 A@542DE6C H9@ 2EE6?565 E96 qJC5 !2C< 56>@?DEC2E:@? :? D@=:52C:EJ H:E9 :?5:86?@FD A6@A=6D]k^AmkAm“sC@H?:?8 E96 r@=F>3FD DE2EF6 H2D 2 H2J 7@C #:49>@?5 E@ 4@CC64E @FC ?2CC2E:G6[” D96 D2:5] %96 E@AA=:?8 @7 @E96C DE2EF6D E9:D A2DE H66< “5:C64E=J 4@??64ED 9@H E96 86?@4:56 @7 DE@=6? =2?5 A2G65 E96 H2J 7@C ':C8:?:2 E@ 4C62E6 86?6C2E:@?2= H62=E9 3J =236=:?8 p7C:42?D 2D 9F>2? 42C8@[” D96 25565]k^Am kAmv@G] #2=A9 }@CE92> 92D >@G65 E@ 6IEC24E #@36CE t] {66 7C@> 9:D 32D6[ E9@F89 E92E :D E:65 FA :? =:E:82E:@?] |2J@C {6G2C $E@?6J 2?5 #:49>@?5 r:EJ r@F?4:= 2C6 A@:D65 E@ C6>@G6 E96 @E96C r@?7656C2E6D @? |@?F>6?E pG6?F6] r@?7656C2E6 DE2EF6D 92G6 366? 36962565 @C C6>@G65 :? !@CED>@FE9 2?5 }@C7@=<]k^Am kAmxE’D 2D :7 7@=<D DF556?=J 92G6 C62=:K65 E92E E96J’G6 366? G:4E:>D @7 2 >F=E:\86?6C2E:@?2= 82D=:89E:?8 E92E 2DD:8?65 96C@:4 DE2EFC6 :? E96 AF3=:4 DBF2C6 E@ 286?ED @7 6?D=2G6>6?E[ EC62D@? 2?5 E@CEFC6]k^AmkAm%9:D 2== :D F??6CG:?8 7@C E9@D6 H9@ AC676C @C56C E@ 492@D] $E2EF6 C6>@G2= A@E6?E:2==J :D 52?86C@FD 7@C AC@E6DE6CD] qFE EC2F>2[ 4@?7:?6>6?E 2?5 ;FDE:7:23=6 :>A2E:6?46 2C6 2 A@E6?E >:I]k^Am kAm“(96? J@F 72:= E@ E2=< 23@FE E9:D 4@F?ECJ’D E@CEFC65 C24:2= 9:DE@CJ 5FC:?8 E:>6D @7 ?@C>2=4J[ x E9:?< E9:D :D H92E J@F 6?5 FA H:E9 5FC:?8 E:>6D @7 F?C6DE 2?5 FA962G2=[” D2:5 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 #:49>@?5 9:DE@C:2? yF=:2? |2IH6== w2JE6C]k^Am kAmx7 J@F’C6 2 56>@?DEC2E@C[ J@F’C6 AC@323=J :?4=:?65 E@ DEC:<6 ?@H[ 367@C6 A@=:46 368:? E@ 4C24< 5@H? @C E96 AF3=:4 >@@5 D9:7ED 7C@> q=24< {:G6D |2EE6C E@ =@4< ‘6> FA]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAmqFE 7@C ?@H[ “x E9:?< E96 A2?56>:4 :? D@>6 H2JD 92D 96:89E6?65 A6@A=6’D D6?D6 @7 GF=?6C23:=:EJ 2?5 :E’D H2D965 2H2J @FC 5:DE:?4E:@?D[” w2JE6C D2:5] ~7 4@FCD6[ 96’D BF:4< E@ 255[ E92E 766=:?8 :D ?@E F?2?:>@FD :? E9:D 286 @7 A@=2C:K2E:@?] $@>6 A6@A=6 42?’E 6G6? 36 4@>A6==65 E@ H62C 2 >2D< 7@C E96:C @H? H6==\36:?8 2?5 E92E @7 @E96CD[ >F49 =6DD 24<?@H=6586 A@=:46 3CFE2=:EJ @C H9:E6 DFAC6>24J]k^Am kAm%96 @AE:>:DE :? >6 766=D A6C>2?6?E 492?86 :? E96 2:Cj E96 C62=:DE H@?56CD :7 E9:D 6?6C8J :D DFDE2:?23=6]k^Am kAmqFE J@F?8 A6@A=6 2AA62C E@ 36 9JA6C\2EEF?65 E@ E96 3C@<6??6DD E92E :D E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D E@52J] xE H2D?’E H@C<:?8 7@C >2?J @7 E96> 6G6? 367@C6 E96 A2?56>:4 2?5 E96 562E9D @7 v6@C86 u=@J5 2?5 qC6@??2 %2J=@C 2E E96 92?5D @7 A@=:46[ 2?5 ;@886C p9>2F5 pC36CJ 3J G:8:=2?E6D]k^AmkAm“x E9:?< E96C6’D 2 566A\D62E65[ 3C@25\32D65 F?C6DE[ 6DA64:2==J H:E9 J@F?86C A6@A=6[ H9@ :? D@>6 H2JD C64@8?:K6 E92E E96:C 7FEFC6 92D 366? =6G6C2865[” w2JE6C D2:5[ 255:?8 E92E “E96J’G6 =@DE 72:E9 :? E96 3@@>6C 86?6C2E:@?’D 23:=:EJ E@ ?68@E:2E6 @FC H2J @FE @7 E96D6 >6DD6D]”k^Am kAmqFE w2JE6C[ H9@ D6CG65 @? $E@?6J’D |@?F>6?E pG6?F6 r@>>:DD:@?[ D2JD J@F 42??@E >2<6 E96 {@DE r2FD6 ?2CC2E:G6 8@ 2H2J D:>A=J 3J EF4<:?8 2H2J DJ>3@=D @7 H9:E6 DFAC6>24J] %96J >FDE 36 A2CE @7 2 E624923=6 >@>6?E :7 p>6C:42 :D E@ 562= H:E9 :ED =6824J @7 C24:D>]k^Am kAm“*@F H:? E96 >@3 @G6C 3J E2<:?8 5@H? E96 DE2EF6D] x E9:?< J@F H:? E96 >2DD6D @G6C H:E9 H92E J@F 5@ H:E9 E96> 27E6CH2C5]”k^AmkAmx D2J H6 4@F=5 A=246 E96> 2E 2 32EE=67:6=5 @C r:G:= (2C >FD6F>] ~C 9@H 23@FE 2? :?DE:EFE:@? 7@4FD65 @? C246 2?5 4:G:= C:89EDnk^Am kAm%96 6C64E:@? @7 E9@D6 >@?F>6?ED 4@:?4:565 H:E9 E96 ?25:C @7 p>6C:42? C246 C6=2E:@?D 7C@> E96 6?5 @7 #64@?DECF4E:@? :?E@ E96 62C=J `ha_D[ H:E9 E96 C@==324< @7 3=24< G@E:?8 C:89ED 2?5 A@=:E:42= 82:?D[ E96 6DE23=:D9>6?E @7 y:> rC@H 2?5 @E96C AC6=F56D E@ 4FCC6?E\52J :?6BF:E:6D :? :?4@>6[ 6>A=@J>6?E[ 962=E9[ 65F42E:@? 2?5 9@FD:?8]k^Am kAm(6’C6 2E 2 >@>6?E H96C6 7@=<D 2C6 56>2?5:?8 E92E H6 E2<6 2? 9@?6DE =@@< 2E E96D6 DE2EF6D 2?5 E96:C ECF6 =6824J[ 2E 6J6 =6G6=]k^Am kAm%9:D :D @FC >@>6?E @7 ECFE9 E@ 4C62E6 2 =68:E:>2E6 42FD6 @FE @7 2 =@DE @?6]k^Am kAm%@ 5@ D@[ E96 AC6G2:=:?8 >JE9@=@8J >FDE 4@>6 4C2D9:?8 5@H? E@ 62CE9] (6 42?’E AC@A6C=J 2DD6DD H92E’D 366? A=2465 @? 2 A656DE2=]k^Am +2 Williams TIMES-DISPATCH mwilliams@timesdispatch.com (804) 649-6815Twitter: @RTDMPW 0 Comments Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Columns of RTD's Michael Paul Williams that won him a Pulitzer Prize