Two S.C. senators are proposing a new monument for the State House grounds, funded by private donors. Of whom? Robert Smalls: a former slave who, during + after the Civil War, gained freedom to become a ship’s pilot, and later, an early Congressman. This would be the first statue of a Reconstruction-era African American champion on the grounds.
The Senators currently have no interest in removing statues of Confederate leaders (which has happened in 12 states), but they have expressed support to add context to existing plaques. The idea is to work toward showing respect to both sides of the Confederate monument debate.
