Thursday, April 15, 2021
It’s been 160 years since the beginning of the Civil War. Still, many of today’s conflicts can be traced back to that tumultuous time in American history.
How we remember that history has a direct connection. We’re still debating why the Civil War was fought — and now, what to do with the Confederate monuments that honor the losing side. We can’t seem to agree on either.
UNC Charlotte historian Dr. Karen Cox says there is "no common ground" when it comes to these monuments. In her new book, she digs into the historical context behind the monuments, which she says is essential to understanding their meaning.
She joins guest host Erik Spanberg to explain. Plus, we hear from former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt about a scuffle over a Confederate monument in Charlotte when he was a member of City Council in 1977.
Guests
Dr. Karen Cox, professor of history at UNC Charlotte and author of No Common Ground: Confederate Monuments and the Ongoing Fight for Racial Justice
Harvey Gantt, former Charlotte mayor, he was a member of Charlotte City Council when a Confederate monument was erected at the old City Hall in 1977 (minutes from the 1977 city council meeting in which Gantt spoke out against the monument.)
Related events:
Karen Cox has two virtual events coming up where she'll be discussing her book "No Common Ground" April 20 at 7 p.m. for Park Road Books and April 22 at 5:30 p.m. for UNC Charlotte.
