We can’t erase history

In regard to a March 28 commentary, there is more to fighting racism than getting rid of Confederate monuments.

Perhaps they can be moved, but we still must never forget that Lexington had the second-largest slave market in the South. It was on Cheapside, where the Farmers Market is now.

History is history, we must collectively remember that very dark time. Removing the statues won’t change it. Perhaps a place should be set aside where people learn about our role in the Civil War. Perhaps there should be a place created for students to talk about the horrors committed and the legacy of white supremacy that remains with us to this day.

The truth is that in Lexington, even though it was declared neutral, the sentiments of the white population were in support of the South.

So much of what we are experiencing today — fear and hatred of people who are not like us — is a result of our earlier white supremacy. Students, indeed all of us, need to learn about the men reflected by those statues, and to not forget the reality of what was done.

Out of sight, out of mind? No. We must never forget. Put them in a special place for everyone to reflect and remember.

This story was originally published April 24, 2017 at 6:01 PM with the headline "We can’t erase history."