COLUMBIA, S.C. — For the first time since the debate over removing the Confederate flag from State House grounds in 2015, there could be renewed pressure in the Legislature to remove Confederate and other controversial statues and monuments.
But the debate might be on hold until 2021.
Petitions to repeal the South Carolina Heritage Act and change other monuments have more than 60,000 signatures.
A group of USC and Clemson alumni and students are asking lawmakers to repeal the Act, which they said protects Confederate and pro-segregation monuments.
Petition organizer Helen Knight said now's the time for change.
“In the midst of so many Confederate memorials really being rethought, and addressed, taken down and changed across the South, this community kind of came together and said maybe this is the moment when we could build support for this type of change in South Carolina,” Knight said on Friday.
The petition, which started Saturday, turned into a website, alumni letter, and gathering place for other petitions calling for change.
You can read the petitions and alumni letter, here.
Earlier this week, a state lawmaker called for the removal of the Benjamin Tillman statue from State House grounds.
But, South Carolina Republican strategist Dave Wilson said it won't be an easy task.
“There are people who want to make sure history gets memorialized, that's one part of this. The other part of this is, if you're going to erase a certain part of history, therein lies the question. And the reason the Heritage Act was actually created was to ensure sure parts of history were memorialized. Now, the question becomes one of, 'Do you keep statues up on the State House grounds for particular people and particular reasons?' And that really comes down to an issue and question that the Legislature's going to have to make when they come back into session in 2021,” Wilson said.
Knight countered, saying it's not about erasing history, it's about who they're honoring.
“We also think there's a difference between somebody who was actively fighting to preserve slavery, preserve segregation, fighting against the United States at the time of the Civil War, and someone who was merely a product of their time,” Knight said.
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Confederate and pro-segregation era monuments have been under renewed scrutiny after the death of George Floyd and subsequent protests.
Friday, Clemson University renamed its honors program from the Calhoun Honors College to the Clemson University Honors College, and asked the General Assembly permission to rename Tillman Hall.
Clemson junior and petition signer Ronnie Clevenstine called it a good start.
“Now, we have to walk the walk, we have to continue to build programs that increase diversity and make Clemson University and the Honors College a safe and inclusive environment for people from all backgrounds,” Clevenstine said.
Repealing the Heritage Act will likely not come up until next year when the newly elected General Assembly returns to the State House.
You can read the Heritage Act here.
Lawmakers have already agreed to a framework of issues for their return this year after COVID-19 interrupted the regular session.
It would be difficult for lawmakers to take up a new issue or add Heritage Act reforms to other unrelated legislation later this year.
Friday, Republican House Speaker Jay Lucas' office said the Speaker had no comment on Clemson's decision or the repeal effort.
Governor Henry McMaster's Communications Director Brian Symmes said the following:
"The Heritage Act provides a good framework for how to deal with these issues – it preserves historical monuments while allowing South Carolinians to voice their concerns through thoughtful and democratic debate among their elected representatives. That debate has proven to be important in the past and needs to be prioritized in making these decisions in the future.
It’s certainly the Clemson Board’s prerogative to make those decisions and to make that request of the General Assembly. Again, the Heritage Act provides a good framework for how to deal with these difficult questions."