Our Petition and Open Letter to Centre College

Dear Centre Community,

For some time now, we Centre students have taken issue with Centre College’s complacency regarding the Confederate monument located across from Pearl Hall. Repeated attempts to remove the statue have all been stalled by both current and former Centre College administration. Now—after taking the time to learn about the statue’s history and debating amongst ourselves—we urge for a prompt call to action rather than any delay. Through this website, we hope to convey why we advocate for the relocation of the statue. Please take the time to read through this statue's history and help us raise funding for its relocation.

First, as readers are surely aware, the Confederate monument has a deeply complicated and twisted history. In part, the statue is intertwined with the lynching of Al McRobards and was erected in the context of other racist violence in Danville. This statue’s location on what is now the property of the Presbyterian church is just a traumatic reminder of America’s racist past and present that adversely impacts Centre students. Further, the statue overlooks an expansion of Centre’s campus that used to be a predominantly black neighborhood of Danville. These considerations are why we are contending for the statue's relocation.

The ground work for the statue’s relocation is finished. Now help us actually relocate the statue. Let us explain: per the compromise reached by the Presbyterian Church, concerned parties will consent to the statue being relocated if the $50,000 needed to fund the cost is raised. Of this, only $20,000* is left to be raised. Help us raise this money for the relocation of the statue.

To be blunt, this letter is a call to action. This letter is members of the student body publicly announcing that President Milton Moreland was given notice of this issue last summer and that this college has still not taken action. It is time to take action. This will not be a cause silenced by the promise of later discussion and action that eventually fades into inaction. We call upon the College to provide substantial funding toward the removal of the statue to Bellevue, and toward erecting a plaque that tells the story of this site.

*~15,000 as of 03/10/21