Editor, Gazette-Journal:
My name is Kamilah Turner, and I was raised in Mathews County. Traced back to the early 1800s, generations of my family were enslaved, and have lived, worked, and raised families here. To many, this town is exactly the way they want it to be, and therefore any changes could devalue the way of life they have come to love; however, not all residents share the same perspective.
For some of us, seeing remembrances of the Confederacy are daily reminders of oppression and White Supremacy. Not only is it hurtful, it makes me and people like me feel like outsiders in our own community. It is easy to believe that these symbols are just heritage and a way to remember the “good ole days,” but historically, they were purposely used to intimidate People of Color, strategically placed near courthouses and on buildings of higher learning. These statues and buildings were erected and dedicated in the early 1900s to reinforce the Jim Crow laws that were being used to disenfranc...