ASHEBORO, N.C. — The Asheboro City Council has voted in support of moving a confederate statue on the historic Randolph County Courthouse property.
The statue, erected in 1911 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, sits in front of the historic courthouse and is dedicated to Randolph County confederate soldiers. Some county business is still handled in the building, including county commission meetings.
On September 8, 2022, the Asheboro City Council passed a resolution supporting moving the statue. The Asheboro/Randolph County chapter of the NAACP brought the idea to the city council.
"We have been working for years to try to get this monument moved," said Clyde Foust, the president of the Asheboro/Randolph County chapter of the NAACP. "The operative word there is moved, not destroyed."
The statue is on Randolph County property but the resolution states the city will offer any assistance to help "facilitate relocation of the statue."
"At its location, it just seems representative of what we as a government would endorse or stand for and that time has passed and we are for the people for all Americans, all inclusive, as the constitution states," Moffitt said.
In a March 2022 meeting, the Randolph County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to keep the monument in its current "state and location". A 2015 law also says a historical monument on public property can only be moved if it's going to a place of equal prominence.
"I would like to think that with enough encouragement from a grassroots level from all involved, not just two sides, but from the entire constituency, the commissioners will have information and support at least to evaluate again," said Walker Moffitt, Asheboro Mayor Pro Tem.
Moffitt said an example of a place the monument could be moved would be to the old Asheboro cemetery.
"It’s a historical place, there’s room in there for monuments such as this and I think it would be in keeping with the time," said Moffitt.
WFMY News 2 has reached out to the chairman of the Randolph County Commission and the United Daughters of the Confederacy for further comment following the passing of the City Council resolution.
According to the resolution, the statue poses a risk to public safety due to the "passion of those both pro and con concerning the statue."
"It's a tough decision not to be taken lightly and while recognizing the rights and emotions of all parties involved, and I think it’s time to take it to another step to respect each party," said Moffitt.
The resolution also said the statue would potentially damage the City of Asheboro's ability to recruit new business and industry.
"The confederate statue is offensive to a significant number of Asheboro citizens because of its legacy of racial injustice during the period before and after the statue was erected," reads the resolution.
"The resolution by itself is a powerful statement, it’s a needed statement," said Foust. "It’s something that we’ve needed in this community for quite some time but what makes it more powerful is going to be when we are able to get other businesses and civic organizations and community organizations, and churches to agree, and to sign onto it as well."