Stonewall Jackson – Baltimore Magazine https://www.baltimoremagazine.com The Best of Baltimore Since 1907 Thu, 06 Aug 2020 01:26:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/cropped-favicon-32x32.png Stonewall Jackson – Baltimore Magazine https://www.baltimoremagazine.com 32 32 Confederate Monuments in Baltimore “Quickly and Quietly” Removed https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/community/confederate-monuments-in-baltimore-quickly-and-quietly-removed/ Wed, 16 Aug 2017 15:25:00 +0000 https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/?p=28928

Herds of people flocked to Wyman Park this afternoon to snap a photo of the stone block that once housed the Lee-Jackson Confederate monument. Now all that remains is the memory of what was, and an adjacent 400-pound sculpture by artist Pablo Machioli, of a pregnant Black woman with her fist raised in an expression of protest.

Shortly before midnight, crews hired by the city removed the statues of Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson on Wyman Park Drive, Confederate Soldiers and Sailors in Bolton Hill, Confederate Women near the Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus, and Roger B. Taney in Mt. Vernon from the stone slabs they’ve rested on for decades.

The removal comes on the heels of Monday’s city council unanimous vote to immediately destroy the statues, as proposed by Councilman Brandon M. Scott. In a statement on Tuesday, Governor Larry Hogan also ordered the immediate removal of the Taney statue in front of the state house in Annapolis stating, “It’s the right thing to do.”

In an effort to prevent future protest and vandalizing of the monuments, Pugh invoked her rights as mayor to “protect her city” and proceeded with the removal despite not receiving the approval of the Maryland Historical Trust Easement Committee.

“I thought there’s enough speeches being made,” she said in Wednesday’s press conference. “I’m not a person that takes a long time to get things done. Get it done.”

This afternoon, crowds at Wyman Park had a mix of relief, closure, anger, and appreciation in reaction to the absent statue. A young mother with her two children stood at the base of the pedestal with reflective stares as she explained the significance of the statue and its removal. 

Lee Jackson Family

Clarinda Harriss, a 78-year-old Baltimore native and ancestor of Confederate soldiers, wrote a letter to Mayor Pugh and the city of Baltimore showing her appreciation for the removal, recalling a significant childhood memory at the Lee-Jackson monument.

“Sixty-nine years ago, when I was nine years old, I was dressed up in a yellow, polka dot dress and led up to the pedestal of the Lee-Jackson memorial to place a bunch of yellow roses there during the monument’s dedication,” Harriss says in the letter. “Today, I place roses on the pedestal in in praise of the city of Baltimore for its wise and discreet action last night in removing the statue. It was necessary . . . I am proud of Baltimore today.”

Pugh said that she did not know where the statues were moved to or where they would end up, but suggested that plaques should be installed to describe “what was there and why it was removed.”

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]]> ​City Council to Move Today to Rename Robert E. Lee Park https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/community/city-council-moves-to-rename-robert-e-park/ Mon, 20 Jul 2015 12:35:00 +0000 https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/?p=68721 Continued]]> City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young will introduce legislation at Monday’s council session to officially change the name of Robert E. Lee Park to Lake Roland Park.

The popular 450-acre park sits just inside the North Baltimore city line, but is leased to Baltimore County, which maintains the facility’s numerous walking and nature trails, canoeing and kayaking operations, dog park, pavilions, and environmental programs.

The move to rename the park was sparked by a request to the City by Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz several days after the Charleston shootings, Lester Davis, a spokesman for Young, told Baltimore magazine.

“Since 2009, the County has invested more than $6 million for significant upgrades to the park, which is centered around historic Lake Roland, including pavilions, playgrounds, trails, bridges and even a dog park,” Kamenetz said. “We’ve been talking for months about a name change that better reflects this unique amenity. We believe Lake Roland Park is more reflective of this open space treasure, and we are confident that the City will approve our request, and I expect to make a joint announcement with the City about the name change in the very near future.”

According to a recent Baltimore Sun story, the park got its name in 1945. At that time, Robert Garrett successfully petitioned the Circuit Court that money from his aunt Elizabeth B. Garrett White’s bequest be used to build a monument to the Confederate general for city recreation purposes at Lake Roland. Garrett served as the city’s recreation commission chair at the time.

“Some individuals undoubtably would like to see the city leave the park’s name as is,” Davis said, referring to questions regarding White’s will and potential legal challenges, “but the city is moving forward.” The City Council named the park, Davis added, “it can rename the park.”

The Robert E. Lee Park volunteer nature council, not a formal government program, has already changed its Facebook page to Lake Roland Park. A City Paper organized change.org petition to rename the park has collected more than 2,400 signatures.

On a related note, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced recently that her office will form a commission to review all of the city’s Confederate statues and historical assets. The recommendations may include, but are not limited to, “preservation, new signage, relocation, or removal,” Rawlings-Blake said in a statement.

Confederate monuments in the city include the 1948-dedicated Lee and Stonewall Jackson statue across from the Baltimore Museum of Art in Charles Village (see below), the Confederate women of Maryland monument at N. Charles Street and University Parkway, and the Gloria Victis or “Glory to the Vanquished” statue on Mount Royal Avenue in Bolton Hill (bottom of the page.)

“I believe it is important for us to take a thoughtful, reasoned approach to these Confederate-era monuments, rather than rush to simply ‘tear them down’ or ‘keep them up’ in the heat of the moment,” Rawlings-Blake said. “A special commission, under the guidance and direction of CHAP [City Commission for Historical & Architectural Preservation] and the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts, will take the time to thoroughly research the background and significance of each of these items and make a recommendation that recognizes and respects the history that we need future generations to understand. ”

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