CRENSHAW COUNTY, AL (WSFA) - A new Confederate monument is set to being unveiled this weekend in an area between Brantley and Luverne in Crenshaw County.
David Coggins, owner and developer of Confederate Veterans Memorial Park, said the public is welcome to attend the ceremony for the "Unknown Alabama Confederate Soldiers" monument. He says the monument honors soldiers who were killed in war and whose bodies didn't make it home to their families.
"We didn't put it up here to offend anybody. None of my monuments have ever hurt anybody. None of my flags have ever hurt or killed anybody. It's here for our heritage," said Coggins.
As monuments come down and are covered in cities across the country, Coggins said it is important to preserve and protect history.
"A lot of these people who want these monuments taken down, they're just trying to destroy our history. If it's not the monuments it will be something else, and something else, and something else. They won't be happy until they remove our history," said Coggins.
But not everyone agrees confederate memorials should have a place in cities across America - The NAACP released a statement in response to the upcoming unveiling saying:
"On May 24, 2015, a Flag Raising-Dedication of Confederate Memorial Park, at Highway 331, Crenshaw County, Alabama was held. Now, a new Confederate Monument, “Unknown Confederate Soldiers,” is slated to be unveiled on Sunday, August 27, 2017 in Crenshaw County. In the midst of recent demonstrations, protests and events relating to public display of Confederate symbols, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), through its Alabama State Conference of the NAACP, issues this Statement of Opposition to the Scheduled Unveiling.
The United States of America has many symbols, such as the American Flag, that unify and identify all Americans as a “United People.” Confederate symbols and monuments are offensive to far too many citizens, especially Blacks/People of African Descent.
The historical meaning, intent, and outright disrespect noted in these Confederate symbols and monuments re-ignite the negative history and memories associated with them. This was clearly evidenced when violence erupted with white nationalists, Neo-Nazis,
the KKK and others in the City of Charlottesville, VA. Lives were damaged and even lost at this time.
Thus, it is in this current “State of Human Affairs and Race Relations” that the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP is opposed to the upcoming scheduled and announced unveiling of another Monument to Confederate Soldiers. The present atmosphere of
human relations is NOT conducive to such an unveiling. Rather, Alabama NAACP seeks to join Peoples of Unity for the purpose of uniting and supporting issues of common relevancy to all Alabamians and contributing to making Alabama: “A place where men, women, and children of all ethnicities, religions, sex and gender can live and work together in harmony.” Benard Simelton, President, AL State NAACP
Coggins expects a crowd of 100 to 200 people. He said in the past he hasn't had security for unveiling events. There will be security in place as a precaution. The event will be from 2-4 p.m.
Copyright 2017 WSFA 12 News. All rights reserved.
