Historical Courthouse monument protested

WAXAHACHIE – The heat of the summer Texas sun beats down on the rusty colored bricks of the historic Ellis County Courthouse. 

In the midst of social unrest stands a silent, slate-gray statue of an unknown soldier resting on his musket, erected by the Daughters of the Confederacy in 1912 with the inscription, “In Honor of the Dead and Living of Ellis County Who Wore the Gray. Banners may be Furled, but Heroism Lives Forever.” 

Or will it?

The call for removal of Confederate monuments is antiquated; however, Ellis County has yet to be rebuked over the courthouse’s Confederate monument – until June 2020. 

In the slew of other Confederate monuments being called into question, a petition organized by the chair of the Ellis County Democratic Party, Kelly Blackburn, via change.org began to circulate on Facebook just last week. 

According to the chair’s petition, “Remove the Confederate Statue from the Ellis County Courthouse.” 

Blackburn, who could not be reached for comment before press time stated, “This statue was erected in 1912 to uphold the legacy of racism that the Confederacy represented. It’s not a symbol of heritage or pride, but is actually a painful reminder of hatred and division, and it’s time to take it down.” 

At the end of her statement, she concedes the monument should be rehomed in a museum. 

Blackburn and the supporters of removal should expect – and do have much resistance – from organizers of a counter-petition circulating on Facebook via change.org entitled “Save the Soldier’s Memorial Statue in Waxahachie.” 

A supporter and 37-year resident of Ellis County, who requested anonymity, said the preservation of history is important for future generations and, “This canceling of culture has to stop somewhere – it is unacceptable for the statue to be placed in a museum where it will ultimately be destroyed and trashed.” 

Ellis County Commissioner Paul Perry, pct. 3, allotted more insight on what removal of the statue would actually entail. 

Aside from costs, it is his understanding that the monument falls under the State Antiquities Landmarks, and would require more than just a vote because of special protections. 

The commissioner added, “It’s not on the Commissioners Court agenda this week. It’s not going anywhere with this commissioner, and under no condition will I agree to removal.” 

It seems as though we are ostensibly faced with a “civil war” right in our own backyard. 

No state or county can camouflage the past. The questions to consider are: Do we follow a progressive culture and allow the removal of salted history? Or, do we grant history to continue to withstand the test of time with its whispers and echoes of yesteryear? 

We are at a crossroads once again in the United States, and it is intersecting right here in Ellis County. 

At press time, the petition to remove the statue had over 800 signatures, while the petition to preserve the statue had almost 3,000 signatures.