Newspapers / Black Ink (Black Student … / Dec. 10, 1990, edition 1 / Page 10
Part of Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
lack Ink Commentary Where Are Our Representations On Campus? Page 10 December 10 4/ By Joel IVinful Staff Hello, my fellow American brothers and sisters of African descent. The Univer sity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is credited as being the first state university in the United States. As the flagship univer sity of the UNC system, Carolina is a center of southern culture. We have representa tions of many great southern traditions that have been institutionalized on this campus. Among those: Silent Sam, for the memory of rebel soldiers; and Saunders Hall named (ex' William Saunders, whose many achieve ments include being an officer of the Ku Klux Klan. We should have positive im ages for African-Ammcans as well. I would like to take the opponunity to establish our right as African-Americans to have our heritage officially recognized on this south ern campus. African-Americans did not journey to this land after the Civil War, hoping to take advantage of economic and religious free doms and opportunities that, by then, were America. We were here throughout This country was built on our backs. The Afri- can-American is no“Johnny-come-lately” minority on the scene; we were the cultiva- tations such as The Student Body. When you have gained your footing or equal ground in an environment, you can take it easy. You might be content with the knowledge that you are heard and under stood by at least your college peers; even if you are not accepted by the society at large. You can poke fun at the images of your former limitations, and/or suppression. It may even be possible to have those stere otypes embodied in art work for all to see, knowing that they no longer exist or have an effect. Where is this equity- socially, politi cally, educationally or otherwise? Where exists this understanding of the oppressed by the privileged majority? The necessary climate fOT erecting negative statues of African-Americans does not exist here. Intolerance of African-Americans by oth ers has already been shown on several occasions. Some examples are the hate crimes around the campus this fall. These statues are not helping to improve race relations. Their shock value is gone. Now they still stand as misrepresentations, of fensive to the African-Ammcan students on campus, a point that we have definitely gotten across to the majority by this time. The majority should not dismiss our "The responsibility of determining what is allowed on the campus grounds is not censorship, just offi cialpolicy at a public university^.. UNC has the right to accept and decline gifts and to decide where to put them- regardless of their monetary worth." tors that grew the oiginal vegetables and potatoes that went into the “American melting pot.” For those who crave, revere and uplift southern history, we are the back bone of your cherished aristocratic, ante bellum anecdotes. African-Americans, along with the privi leged majority of whites and the nearly exterminated Native Americans, are Ameri can history — not a brief addendum. We didn’t come to the south to build railroads or canals. We didn ’ t come fleeing famine or genocidal empires. We didn’t come here for religious freedom. Wedidn’teven come as exchange students to this wonderful land of ours. No indeed, because we woe al ready here. African-Americans w^e the laborers used, not partially, but intensively, in build ing this great land of ours. Where is our Silent Sam? After we get some positive representations in art work — not even of the huge jrominence of Silent Sam — or something more beneficial, such as a real Black Cultural Center, then maybe we can affwd stereotypical and negative rei^esen- speaking out, as “walking on eggshells.” If you are hurt you say ouch! African-Ameri can students on campus have been saying it since October 22. We cannot pretend, nor should we be made to pretend that we are not bothered by the statues. It would be interesting to see the Student Body replaced with a new sculpture that includes African- American students portrayed in a more acceptable way. Well, on the other hand, what an outrageously unthinkable contri bution to this campus that would be. The UNC College Republicans have tried to make the statues a political issue, but it is a non-political and bipartisan issue. They claim to represent the conservative point of view on campus; and as their chairman, Charlton Allen said, “We hope to support the camp of leaving the statues exactly where they are and to influence the people who are unsure.” The College Republicans are demonstrating reactionary behavior on this issue. The College Republican’s posi tion on supporting offensive new anworic is not a traditionally conservative one as evi denced by the positions of their political kw' eoy HtSl L L icon Jesse Helms, and his attempts to sup press and censOT offensive art and music. Why the sudden break from current tradi tions? It seems that after some evaluation, the College Republicans decided that main taining a consistent stand on suppressing offensive artistic expression was not that importanL On the other hand, they thought it was more impcxiant to maintain another current tradition of their political party — the tradition of always coming out in oppo sition to minority concerns. This is a tradi tion of their political party as evidenced by President Bush’s veto of the Civil Rights BiUofl990. Since The Student Body is not going to be taken off campus, I would personally prefer that the statues were moved to the Ackland Art Museum where they can be seen in an artistic context For people who want to see The Student Body, it would be tho«. For those who make accusations of Jesse Helms, like censorship, if the statues are moved. I’d like to point out that neither Davis Library nor the pathways to classes are an galleries. Something that people seem to have forgotten is that this campus is not an an gallCTy. The statues do not have some inher ent right to be displayed on campus that we are infringing on. This is not a private uni versity, it is a public one. No group, regard less of how wealthy they are, can put an or any other structure on this campus just because they think it would make a nice gift Not without approval of a UNC com Black Ink p'aphk by Lmb Btilltr mittee. That’s right not even the alumni. The responsibility of determining what is allowed on the campus grounds is not censorship, just official policy at a public university. John Wilson, an UNC graduate, wanted to donate $100,000 worth of televi sion equipmentfortheRTVMP department in November. This was a very gracious gift to the campus, similar iirworth to the $60,000 statues given by the Class of 1985. The outcome of Wilson’s attempted donation —rejected by UNC. Why was it rejected? UNC had certain reasons for their decision. I am not trying to say that the university should follow suit with The Student Body, I am merely showing that UNC has the right to accept and decline gifts, and to decide where to put them — regardless of their monetary worth. The Student Body would be right at home in a museum or an gallery. It is not an abstract sculpture or neutral piece of art It has definite sexual and racial distinctions, as well as a theme. Unlike Jesse Helms, I don’t want to censor the work of Julia Balk, Robert Mapplethorpe or the 2 Live Crew. Just as one must choose to listen to the 2 Live Crew or view Mapplethorpe’s art, the same standard should apply in this case. Just have The Student Body placed some where that people can exercise their free dom of choice to see it just as others can use their freedom of choice to avoid it In front of the only public entrance and exit to Davis Library is definitely not the place.
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 10, 1990, edition 1
10
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75