(Jonah Weintraub)
The narrative surrounding Christopher Columbus has changed drastically in the past few years. Now, the city of Syracuse is working towards removing their statue in his honor. The legal debate is still ongoing, but how do the people of Syracuse feel? All that and more on this special coverage on N-C-C news.
Welcome into N-C-C news, I’m Jonah Weintraub.
In recent years, cities from Boston to Richmond have had to grapple with the ethics of monuments dedicated to Christopher Columbus. The famous Italian discoverer of the U.S. has become subject to criticism for his colonial tactics and racism, prompting the public to reconsider his revered status. Here in Syracuse, New York, Mayor Ben Walsh announced his plans to remove the city’s statue of Columbus in 2020. Almost 3 years later, the statue still stands after a series of stalemates between the city and the Columbus Monument Corporation in court. Just last month, the city presented its argument to overturn a ruling that said it couldn’t take down the statue. But as the legal battle wears on, a ground-level tension has continued to brew.
The Onondaga Nation’s ancient lands make up the majority of the area within Syracuse. As a result, the city has strong ties to the Haudenosaunee peoples. But on the other end of the spectrum: Syracuse also has a profound Italian history – with 14% of the population being of Italian descent. Even the city is named after the Syracuse in Italy. This dynamic has made the Columbus controversy increasingly amplified. One group wants to bring justice to their heritage, while the other wants to preserve theirs. Let’s hear from N-C-C’s Will Jack who has more on the Italian Perspective with Dr. Timur Hammond.
(Will Jack)
The Christopher Columbus Statue in Syracuse has stood for nearly 90 years. After the Italian American community raised money for decades, it was constructed in 1934. The monument stands in Syracuse’s Columbus Square with a prominent location. Assistant Geography Professor Timur Hammond at Syracuse University explains the specific reason for this placement.
[Timur Hammond]
(“So one of the things that you find is that Columbus statues are often built in centers of cities, kind of like pretty visually prominent. Um, and that’s very much the case of the Syracuse statue where, uh, the Italian American community, uh, picked what became Columbus Square, a fairly centrally located place, um, in the, in the city of Syracuse.” )
(Will Jack)
The local Italian American community in Syracuse served as the primary source of funds. With negative stereotypes around immigrants at the time, the community wanted a way to improve its image. Professor Hammond discusses how the monument was intended to increase acceptance of Italians.
[Timur Hammond]
(“Building Columbus statues and claiming him as, as an Italian, as the first, as the Italian who discovered America was a way that these communities sought to kind of rewrite themselves into the American story and make a place for themselves as, as Americans.”)
(Will Jack)
With debates over time about the statue’s potentially offensive appearance, generations of Italians have fought to keep the monument in place. Now, they have held up plans for a possible move. Professor Hammond explains the reasoning of those who oppose the movement of the statue
[Timur Hammond]
(“The argument that they make is like, look, uh, there is no, uh, uh, bad intention sort of built into this monument. This monument is solely designed to celebrate the achievements of the Italian American community.”)
(Will Jack)
As decades of debate rage on, the Italian American community continues the fight to keep Syracuse’s Columbus Statue in place. Will Jack NCC News
(Jonah Weintraub)
Great stuff, Will.
Our very own Nyah Wilson met with the Litigator for the Onondaga Nation, Joe Heath.
(Nyah Wilson)
Syracuse judge Mayor Ben Walsh cannot remove the Christopher Columbus statue from downtown
Syracuse, despite outcry from Indigenous communities like Onondaga Nation who view the statue as a
symbol of colonialism and genocide. The Onondaga Nation General Council- Joe Heath has been
advocating for the statue’s removal, citing Columbus’ history of violence and oppression towards Indigenous peoples.
[Joe Heath]
(“The nation is very much interested in continuing with the positive healing that the mayor has started and with helping people understand that Columbus is not a hero, he unleashed colonialism in the Caribbean which led to the destruction of all the indigenous people there.”)
(Nyah Wilson)
As the city and the Onondaga Nation grapple with this issue, many are calling for greater recognition and respect for the sovereignty and agency of Indigenous peoples in decisions that impact their communities.
[Joe Heath]
(“This area right in the center of our city which symbolically sits between the state courthouse on one side and cathedral on the other side, its part of the ancestral territory to the onondaga nation- this is onondaga land”)
(Nyah Wilson)
The statue has been the subject of debate for years, with some arguing that it celebrates a figure who represents genocide and oppression, while others believe it represents an important part of Italian-American heritage.
Mayor Walsh has expressed sympathy for both sides of the issue and has stated that he does not have the legal authority to remove the statue without approval from the city’s Landmark Preservation Board.
However, indigenous communities and their allies argue that the statue is a painful reminder of Columbus’ role in the subjugation and exploitation of Native people, and that its continued presence in downtown Syracuse is a form of ongoing harm.
While the statue remains in place for now, the debate over its significance and the appropriate way to honor diverse perspectives will likely continue.
(Jonah Weintraub)
Really great stuff, Nyah.
The contested nature of the Columbus statue in Syracuse is unique to the city itself. Not only is the debate existent in Central New York, but it has palpable representation from both parties. The future of the monument hinges on the upcoming decision from the appellate division of the state court. When that ruling is announced, we’ll have all the updates you need. But for now that’s all, so on behalf of Will Jack and Nyah Wilson – I’m Jonah Weintraub and thanks for tuning into this special coverage on N-C-C News.
