One of the most positive ideas we’ve heard lately is for South Carolina to build a wall – no, not that kind of wall – to celebrate and honor our state’s heroic fight for freedom from tyranny 250 years ago.
As planned, a new memorial wall will be built for the 7,500 men and women who died in South Carolina during the American Revolution. It will resemble the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC.
It would list the names of men and women of all races, nationalities and colonies who died in South Carolina between 1775 and 1783 fighting for the cause of American freedom and democracy – rule by the people, not a despot.
As Editor-in-Chief Herb Frazier reported this week, Kenneth Scarlett, a Daniel Island resident, has been appointed to lead a task force to complete the project. He said the Patriots Memorial Wall will serve “as the glue of patriotism that unites us as Americans.”
A wall that unites, not divides or excludes. Imagine that. Great idea.
Earlier this year, the state officially launched the SC American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission. The SC General Assembly created the initiative, better known as SC250, in 2018 “to celebrate and promote South Carolina’s role in the American Revolution by informing, engaging and inspiring South Carolina residents and visitors.”
Last week, the commission, of which Scarlett is a member, agreed to spend $12,000 to plan and build the wall, which could cost as much as $1 million, which could be raised through public and private contributions.
Scarlett, a former owner of an upstate surveying company and author of a 2022 book on American independence, said he hopes the new monument can be unveiled on July 4, 2026, when the country celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Many details of the wall are still being worked out. It is to be built in Charleston’s Liberty Square on land once owned by patriot and slave trader Christopher Gadsden. That land, which is now the site of the International African American Museum just down the street, is the last place the British occupied before their departure in December 1782.
Perhaps most importantly, it is important to ensure that as many of the names that should be on the wall as possible are included. Records of enslaved Africans are generally sparse, but organizers expect a large team of volunteer researchers to compile a professional list that will surely expand in the years to come.
Once completed, visitors are expected to see this inscription on the inspirational wall: “Liberty is the light for which many died in darkness, that today we might enjoy the fruits of freedom. Remember and honor their sacrifice.”
Indeed. Let us build that wall. Let us inspire future generations of South Carolinians and Americans.
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