The civil-rights monument on the University of Mississippi's campus has its roots with students of the past. And today's students are at the center of the debate over how to memorialize those of the past.
In 1995, John Edge was taking a class on Southern folklore at the school when he said the need for a memorial became clear.
"We were talking about the nature of symbols on Ole Miss' campus and the overarching exclusivity of those symbols," he said. "That led to a discussion about the need to pay homage to people looking for equal access to education in Mississippi."
Edge assembled a multiracial group of students who approached the administration with the idea for a design competition, and administrators agreed and pledged $2,000. Edge continued to be involved with the project after graduation, helping to raise $160,000 through grass-roots efforts for the implementation of Penn professor Terry Adkins' design.
In light of recent events, a number of students have written letters to The Daily Mississippian, the Ole Miss student newspaper, voicing conflicting opinions regarding Ole Miss Chancellor Robert Khayat's decision to cancel Adkins' design and support a new one.
Twaun Samuel, an Ole Miss student, organized a panel discussion with administrators and faculty members on Oct. 17 so that all parties could engage in a discussion about the memorial.
When, at the end of the meeting, Samuel asked how many students supported the new design, no students raised their hands.
For Edge, the open dialogue now occurring on campus is comforting.
"This effort began with students asking impertinent questions, and I hope they continue to ask questions," he said.
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