In the quiet town of Lothian, Maryland, stands the former Confederate Soldier Benjamin Welch Owens Statue. A monument shrouded in controversy. This statue, erected in 1999, commemorates Benjamin Welch Owens, a Confederate War hero. Owens, a private in the 1st Maryland Artillery, was celebrated for his bravery during the Battle of Stephenson’s Depot in 1863. The former Confederate Soldier Benjamin Welch Owens Statue depicts Owens single-handedly holding off Union forces. His actions earned him the Confederate Medal of Honor. The inscription on the former Confederate Soldier Benjamin Welch Owens Statue highlights Owens as a representative of Maryland boys. Boys who fought for “a war of ideas, political conceptions, and loyal to ancient ideals of English freedom.” However, the statue’s presence has sparked outrage due to its association with the Confederacy and its defense of slavery. In 2020, the former Confederate Soldier Benjamin Welch Owens Statue was vandalized. The word “Racist” was spray-painted on it. The statue was subsequently torn down by the Methodist Church and stored away. This act aimed to preserve Owens’s memory while addressing community concerns. County Executive Steuart Pittman’s statement reflects the conflicting views on the statue. He acknowledged the statue’s racist message while disapproving of the vandalism. A local African American likened the statue’s symbolism to that of the KKK. The former Confederate Soldier Benjamin Welch Owens Statue remains a powerful reminder of the complex history of the Civil War. It embodies the ongoing debate surrounding Confederate memorials.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to