Confederate statues cause controversy in Lexington community

Cheapside is known by most all Lexingtonians. It is a place to shop, eat, and enjoy local music—but for others it is a reminder of Lexington’s painful history. Attention to Cheapside’s past is intensifying, partly due to the Take Back Cheapside coalition.

Cheapside was constructed in 1789 as a public market next to the old courthouse. Lexington was home to one of the largest slave markets in the South due to its mediate position, and Cheapside was a hub for slave trade. Take Back Cheapside plans to remove  two Confederate statues of  John Hunt Morgan and John C. Breckinridge, currently on display at the Pavilion. Both men were slave owners and fought for the Confederacy during the American Civil War.

“Take Back Cheapside desires to promote a more full and accurate telling of our city’s history,” according to www.takebackcheapside.com, “to thoughtfully and consistently encourage our city’s officials… to do more to align our city’s public markers with our more difficult memories.”.

On Aug. 17 the Lexington Urban-County Council unanimously decided that the statues should be removed and relocated. Recently, a new home was chosen for the statues at the Lexington Cemetery. However, the decision must also go through the Kentucky Military Heritage Commission. The relocation of the statues, as well as their original placement, brings multiple HC students to voice their opinions.

“Personally, I feel that the statues should be removed,” HC senior Diamond Roberts said. “It’s something that is a consistent painful reminder of history.”

In contrast to the view of Cheapside, some Lexington citizens believe that the statues don’t represent hate, rather history.

“We should just keep them where they’re at, because they were put there for a reason,” HC senior Michael Dixon said. “It’s history, and we really shouldn’t tamper with it. We should look at them (the statues) and learn.”

In combination with removing the statues, Take Back Cheapside also aims to bring back a plaque that once resided in the square. The plaque detailed the history of slavery in Lexington, and how both Cheapside and Lexington played a role in the slave trade. However with the plaque broken and moved to a warehouse for repairs, nothing remains to tell the history of Cheapside.

“There was a plaque at Cheapside that let you know its history,” Roberts said, “but since it was broken everyone is going down there with a lack of knowledge of what the place used to be, and what is actually was.”

The news of Take Back Cheapside and their recent progress has also reached the ears of the Traditionalist Worker Party, a group of white nationalists located in Cincinnati. In late August, they contacted the Herald Leader.

“[We will have] a flash demonstration in Lexington to protest moving two Confederate statues,” the Traditionalist Worker Party said.

This announcement stirred many Lexingtonians and members of the HC community. However, due to the violence that broke out in Virginia, Lexington Police Chief Mark Bernard urges people to not organize or attend counter-protests in the same area.

UPDATE:

As of Oct 18 the statues of John Hunt Morgan and John C. Breckinridge have been removed and are currently being kept in a storage facility while their relocation to the Lexington Cemetery is discussed.