LAFAYETTE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- If you visit the Ole Miss’ campus, you might notice a big change.
The 30-foot confederate monument that’s stood tall at the front of the circle on University Avenue for more than 100 years has been removed.
It’s a move Ole Miss Graduate Leah Davis said she’s happy to see.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Davis. “I think my initial reaction was it’s bout time.”
Davis helped write the initial resolution to have the monument relocated.
“It’s a huge ugly reminder of the history of the university, how the university was built regarding integration when James Meredith was integrated in 1962,” Davis expressed. “It was definitely time for the university to put a more positive foot forward and to say this is not something that we want to welcome our students, our new perspective students, and alumni back to campus.”
She said it took a lot of hard work and dedication from herself and other student organizations to get to this point.
The Ole Miss alumnae always hopeful the relocation would happen.
Now she’s excited because of the impact it’ll have on those coming after her.
“My sister is starting at Ole Miss in the fall, so she can walk onto that campus and not have that monument when she goes to class every day when she walks towards the James Meredith statue,” said Davis.
Just last month trustees on the Institutions of Higher Learning approved the relocation.
While Davis is happy the monument will have a new home, she’s not happy about the future plans to spruce up the cemetery to highlight it’s the latest addition.
“That confederate cemetery was kind of hidden on campus and it was just being maintained, so that’s why the statue was requested to be relocated there,” Davis explained. “I don’t think that any more glorification should happen to confederate symbols whatsoever, so I think it’s very disheartening.”
The confederate monument has stood tall on campus since 1906.
The relocation costs to bring to Confederate Cemetery will cost $1.15 million, that money will be privately funded.
Chancellor Glenn Boyce issued a statement saying Tuesday’s relocation is a meaningful change for our community.
Click on the link to read Boyce’s full comments on the monument’s relocation.