Push to return John C. Calhoun statue reignites debate over history, race and public memory in South Carolina

WIS News 10 reports that (WCSC) — A renewed effort to return the statue of John C.

Calhoun to public view is reopening a long-running debate in Charleston and across South Carolina over how history should be remembered, and who should be honored in public spaces.

The monument stood in Marion Square for 124 years before the City of Charleston removed it in June 2020 amid nationwide protests following the murder of George Floyd.

Now, supporters, including the American Heritage Association and Calhoun Monument Society, are raising money to place the statue back on public display, a move backed by Lt.

Pamela Evette and opposed by critics who argue Calhoun’s legacy is inseparable from his defense of slavery.

Evette recently attended a fundraiser featuring the statue, which has largely remained unseen since it was removed, and has voiced support for restoring it to public view.