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    Columbus State Community College Removing Christopher Columbus Statue

    After 32 years on display, the statue of Christopher Columbus will be removed from the main campus of Columbus State Community College (CSCC). Representatives with the school issued a statement on the college’s website earlier today stating that the statue will be dismantled and stored.

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    “In taking this action, we are being mindful of societal change and forward movement,” stated Anthony Joseph, Columbus State Board of Trustees President. “We do not seek to erase history, but to make an intentional shift in what we visibly honor and celebrate as an institution. This is the first of many steps in what will be a lengthy journey as the College seeks to build on and improve our historic and future efforts toward broadened diversity and inclusion.”

    The statue is expected to come down sometime within the next two weeks and the college plans to replace it with a new piece of artwork at some point in the future.

    The CSCC statue was originally created in 1959 for a public park in Barrington Illinois before being relocated to Columbus, restored, and unveiled in 1988.

    Several statues of Christopher Columbus located in other US cities have been torn down or vandalized in recent weeks as a response to nationwide protests of police violence, oppression and inequality. Two other statues of Christopher Columbus are currently on public display in Columbus — one at the Ohio Statehouse and one at Columbus City Hall. As of last week, representatives at both institutions indicated that there were no current plans for removal.

    Update June 18, 2020: Mayor Ginther Directs Christopher Columbus Statue to be Removed from City Hall

    A Change.org petition to have the City Hall statue removed was launched last week by Christopher C. Austin III, and has over 2,600 signatures as of the time of publishing.

    For more information, visit www.cscc.edu.

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    Walker Evans
    Walker Evanshttps://columbusunderground.com
    Walker Evans is the co-founder of Columbus Underground, along with his wife and business partner Anne Evans. Walker has turned local media into a full time career over the past decade and serves on multiple boards and committees throughout the community.
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