Inside the Two-Decade Fight to Bring Down a Confederate Monument
Since 1998, activist Willie Hudspeth has been fighting for the removal of his county's Confederate monument in Denton, Texas. For years, he's protested at the town square alone—but in the wake of the violence in Charlottesville, he's finally started gaining local support.
VICE met up with Willie to find out why he's so passionate about bringing the monument down, how his movement is gaining steam, and what—if anything—can be done to get it removed.
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Denton County debates Confederate monument
The monument debated honors Confederate soldiers and was commissioned by the Daughters of the Confederacy 99 years ago.
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Denton County Confederate soldier memorial vandalized
A Confederate memorial was vandalized at the Denton County Courthouse Square sometime late Sunday or early Monday.
Confederate memorial under construction causes con
ORANGE COUNTY- by Sarai Demien
When the Confederate Memorial off Interstate 10 in Orange is finished it'll display rebel flags of the Confederacy.
In my opinion due to the South Carolina incident I believe it's actually wrong because all through Orange you see the United States flag and the Texas flag you never see the Confederacy flag around here, says Matthew Provost.
What investigators call a racially charged attack last week killed nine people at a South Carolina church. A man is in custody and is accused of the killings.
We've never had no problem we've never had no racism drama in Orange Texas we don't need it why start now. You want to bring out history do it in a peaceful way that way everybody can enjoy the situation not just one group of people, says Provost.
Orange County Judge Stephen Carlton says the Sons of Confederate Veterans should find what he calls a less divisive way to remember history.
I think that if they wanted to do a memorial to those that lost their lives during the civil was probably how I would go about it is have a memorial to everyone that was part of the Civil War both the Union and the Confederate soldiers, says Carlton.
Carlton received an number of medals during his service in the Air Force and believes there's a way to honor those who died in battle without dividing a community.
I hope that people passing through Orange County understand that this is something that is done by a private group of citizens on private land and is not representative of Orange County, says Carlton.
Denton deciding what to do with Confederate monument
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Kirby's Augusta - Confederate Memorial - Confederate Monument - St. James Methodist Church
The Confederate Monument in Augusta Georgia was the first monument erected in the United States honoring the Confederate soldiers who lost their lives in the Civil War. Conceived in 1865 and dedicated in 1873 to mark the loss of 24 men of the St. James Methodist Church Sabbath School.
Noteworthy was that five years after the dedication of this monument to the fallen soldiers of the Civil War a church Sexton named Richard Hall passed away. What was noteworthy was the fact Richard Hall was a black man who was revered by the church during a time of great division was this seemingly small contradiction.
It stands as a testament that times change and history remembers and love endures.
THESE MEN DIED
IN DEFENSE OF
THE PRINCIPLES
OF THE
DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE
Find more news about Augusta GA on the Augusta Chronicle -
Denton Man Fights For 17 Years To Have Confederate Monument Removed
Willie Hudspeth now wants a new monument added rather than taking the old one away.
Denton TX, Confederate Monument Protest august 27, 2017
Denton Confederate Monument Not Coming Down
A committee has recommending adding information to the century-old Confederate monument.
Confederate Memorial Cemetery - Higginsville, Missouri
Confederate Memorial State Historic Site is located in Missouri, United States, north of Higginsville. The 135-acre (55 ha) park was established in 1952 on the site of the Confederate Soldiers Home of Missouri from 1891 to 1950. The site offers tours, fishing ponds, and picnicking.
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CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY OAKWOOD 592015
Oakwood Confederate Cemetery-Richmond, VA
Confederate memorial broken during move
The controversial Bradenton Confederate memorial fell while being moved. [Provided by Manatee County]
Ashes 420 Party in Denton Texas
Shot and Edited by Phil Mancillas .
Confederate Memorial Dedication
A Confederate Memorial at the Robertson County Courthouse was dedicated on Sunday after one hundred years of planning...
The memorial monument is for the Confederate soldiers from Robertson County who served in the war between the states.
Jim Ball reporting Sunday September 23, 2012
Protesters graffiti Confederate memorial in Charleston VIDEO
Protesters in South Carolina have defaced a war monument as the Confederate flag continues to fly over the state's capitol.
The banner has been condemned by millions - including President Obama and GOP leaders - as a symbol of racial hatred that disrespects the nine black churchgoers massacred in Charleston on Wednesday.
Suspected killer Dylann Roof proudly displayed Confederate plates on his car before ambushing a bible study class at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church and opening fire on the African American congregants.
As victims pleaded for mercy, reports claim, Roof said; 'No, you've raped our women, and you are taking over the country ... I have to do what I have to do.'
Now, many in the state and around the country are outraged that despite Roof's admitted racial motivation the flag has not been taken down.
Making many even more upset is the fact that Roof frequently posed with the Confederate flag, implying a greater allegiance to that flag than the American flag.
Images have since surfaced on social media of a monument in Charleston's White Point Gardens, which was discovered with graffiti on Sunday morning.
The monument, To the Confederate Defenders of Charleston - Fort Sumter, was erected in 1932 as a gift from The United Daughters of the Confederacy.
It is an allegorical depiction of the Confederate army in the city holding off Union forces during the civil war.
'It's a symbol that is not just heritage and history ... but it has become a symbol of rebellion against what I consider to be just basic American values of equality, liberty and justice,' said Doyle, who has studied the history of the South for 35 years.
For Doyle it is no coincidence that the flag was raised over South Carolina's state house in 1962, when the civil rights movement was cresting and the federal government was putting mounting pressure on states to end segregation.
Many South Carolinians were particularly galled when the Confederate flag was left flying high after Wednesday's massacre, even as the state and national flag were lowered to half-staff. Although the Confederate flag was near the capitol building, not on its dome, the omission was seen as a mark of insensitivity.
Dylann Roof, the suspect in the Charleston shooting, had a Confederate flag on the license plate of the car he was driving when he was arrested. Just this week, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a ban in Texas on license plates bearing the Confederate flag.
The Confederate Soldier
Description
Speech by historian Stephen Walker on The Confederate Soldier
1861 - 1865 given on April 5, 2014
(Stand Up For What You Believe)
Deborah Armintor to Denton County Commissioners to Remove the Confederate Monument
Your PDA is making Denton a Sanctuary City for Confederate Sympathizers and White Supremacists. - Deborah Armintor
It should be noted there were no Civil War battles fought in Denton, TX. The closest Texas battle of the civil war was fought 325 miles away in Sabine Pass.
This monument was built 53 years after the civil war, during the height of the Jim Crow Era.
In order to walk up to the courthouse, citizens must walk under this symbol of the confederacy.
Please join the Citizens of Denton in their fight to have the Commissioners add removing this monument to their agenda.
The Last Confederate Soldier
This video is about The Last Confederate Soldier
Vandals deface Confederate memorial, Revolutionary War statue in Wilkesboro
Vandals deface Confederate memorial, Revolutionary War statue in Wilkesboro
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State of Texas: Conflict over Confederate monuments
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) responded by calling for a review of the accuracy of Confederate memorials at the State Capitol.