In one month’s time, Chancellor Carol Folt and the Board of Trustees will present their plan for Silent Sam's future to the UNC-system Board of Governors. Here’s a recap of everything that has happened with the Confederate monument in this school year:
- Aug. 20: Silent Sam is pulled down by protestors the night before classes start following speeches at the Peace and Justice Plaza by several activists, including Maya Little, who faces charges of defacement of a public monument for painting Silent Sam red last year. The statue was removed to an undisclosed location. At the protest, one person was arrested for resisting arrest and wearing a mask or hood on public property.
- Aug. 21: UNC asks the State Bureau of Investigations to investigate Aug. 20’s protest. Student Body President Savannah Putnam released a statement in support of the protestors.
- Aug. 23: Thomas Goolsby, a member of the UNC Board of Governors, tweeted that Silent Sam would be reinstalled within 90 days in accordance with North Carolina General Statute 100-2.1(b).
- Aug. 25: Protestors with Confederate flags and anti-Silent Sam protestors demonstrated around the pedestal on McCorkle Place. Seven arrests were made, including three for assault, two for the destruction of property, one for resisting an officer and one for assault, destruction of property and inciting a riot. UNC Media Relations confirms that three warrants were also filed for individuals involved in the Aug. 20 protest, bringing the total arrests to 11. A letter signed by professors from almost every department at UNC was sent to Folt and Provost Bob Blouin, telling Folt to keep Silent Sam down.
- Aug. 26: Another warrant with a charge of affray was filed for an individual related to Aug. 25’s protest.
- Aug. 28: The UNC Board of Governors passes a resolution that Folt and the BOT must present their plan for the future of Silent Sam by Nov. 15. Goolsby voted against the resolution, saying that the November deadline was too far away.
- Aug. 29: WRAL News received 400 pages of texts and emails sent to and from Chapel Hill Police Chief Chris Blue from Aug. 20-21. Notably, Blue told officers at the protest to give protestors “lots of space” and to “back up” shortly before Silent Sam was pulled down.
- Aug. 30: Neo-Confederate group Alamance County Taking Back Alamance County N.C. held a “twilight service” at the base of Silent Sam, while anti-Silent Sam activists simultaneously held a dance party. Although police kept the groups separate with barricades, two pepper foggers were deployed and three arrests were made.
- Aug. 31: In a conference call with reporters, Folt said that Silent Sam does not have a place "at the front door of a safe, welcoming, proudly public research university." Although Folt said that Silent Sam was a threat to public safety from where it was displayed, she would not say whether or the statue would be returned to its pedestal on McCorkle Place.
- Sept. 2: Chapel Hill businesses say that protests and rallies occurring around Silent Sam hurt profits. For each demonstration, Franklin Street businesses have lost an estimate $189,000 in retail and $10,000 in wages, said Elinor Landess, interim executive director for Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership.
- Sept. 5: Eight UNC graduate leaders of the Campaign for Carolina sent a letter to Folt supporting the relocation of Silent Sam.
- Sept. 6: UNC Black Faculty release a letter supporting the permanent removal of Silent Sam.
- Sept. 8: Eight were arrested during demonstrations by anti-Silent Sam protestors and members of CSA II: The New Confederate States of America. The two groups were again separated by police. A smoke bomb was used by UNC Police to disperse the crowd.
- Sept. 9: Over 400 UNC faculty members sign a statement supporting the letter released by UNC Black faculty.
- Sept. 12: In emails and voicemails to the Chancellor's office and UNC Police Chief Jeff McCracken obtained by The Daily Tar Heel, dozens criticized protestors and the University's response to Silent Sam's toppling.
- Sept. 14: Over 800 pages of texts and emails exchanged between UNC officials between Aug. 20-21 were released by WRAL, including a message from the recently retired Winston Crisp, vice chancellor for student affairs, saying "One can hope," in response to a question of whether protestors would pull Silent Sam down.
- Sept. 24: Folt announces the creation of an email account for the community to use to share their ideas for the future of Silent Sam.
- Oct. 9: Folt and McCracken receive subpoenas for Little's trial. N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein motioned to deny the subpoenas.
- Oct. 12: The Faculty Council passed a resolution requesting the permanent removal of Silent Sam and its pedestal from campus.
- Oct. 13: Folt apologizes for the legacy of slavery in UNC's history at a University Day celebration and says that the University's apology "must lead to purposeful action."
- Oct. 15: Maya Little will attend her trial for her April 30 demonstration against Silent Sam.
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