Written Testimony from Anthony DeJoseph

Received via email

Hello,

Thank you for this opportunity to express my ideas.

Please remember that this is a success story. It represents the story of an immigrant group succeeding in the face of bigotry and violence. It is a story of optimism and great food! Let’s share the success story of Italian immigrants because in the long-term their story will help us unite.

This is also an issue of public safety. Giving into the crowd does not make it right or wrong, it just encourages crowd decision making in the future. This could be offensive to those not in the crowd and could lead them to push back, or worse, voting republican!

There is an opportunity for another choice to be made. An option that will both educate and unite. Along the Wissahickon Creek on Forbidden Drive is a beautiful statue of Tedyuscung of the Lenni-Lenape people. Placing that statue of Tedyuscung next to the statue of Columbus would create the opportunity for dialogue and reconciliation. This decision requires courage, exemplifies long-term thinking, and can help unite. I urge you to consider this option.

One additional thought. By adding a statue of an indigenous person next to Columbus, Philadelphia will become a national leader by starting the process of reconciliation and unity.

Thank you,

Anthony DeJoseph

Philadelphia, PA

Written Testimony from Christine M. Flowers

Received via email "The statue means several things to me as an attorney, an Italian, a Catholic, a Philadelphian, and a woman who appreciates the sacred nature of history, as it happened, not as it is re-imagined from a distance of decades and centuries. It represents the single most important event in the history of western civilization, namely, the expansion of society beyond the European circle, and an understanding that the earth was, in fact, not flat. It represents the majestic history of Italian wayfarers, who courageously brought the culture and rich traditions of the Old World to the New, and permitted the blending of those cultures to create a new and unique society. It represents a system of order, the extension of legal processes and systems to world where no order previously existed. It represents the sharing of a faith system that was monotheistic, to the reaches of a world that did not yet have its benefit. It represents the proudest of Philadelphia traditions, part of my Italian American heritage, something which instills me with pride. And as an immigration attorney who values and cherishes the immigrant traditions of all people and resists and rejects the demonization of one group by another, based on misrepresentation, the continued vitality and existence of a statue that honors Italian immigrants in this city is an imperative. In effect, to pull it down is a crime of moral and ethical magnitude. That is what the statue means to me, Christine Flowers. The statue should not be moved to a private location, where it can be hidden from public view. To do so is a tacit admission that there is something wrong with the people and the traditions that are represented by this symbol, and a direct attempt to demean their status in a pluralistic community, and in a city to which they have contributed infinitely, and well."

July 20, 2020 Philadelphia Art Commission 1515 Arch St.,13th floor Philadelphia, PA 19102 artcommission@phila.gov To Members of the Art Commission: We build and fund public spaces to benefit all Philadelphians. At their best, our public spaces are more than just open air and land; they are gathering places for strengthening community and diversifying and democratizing our city. Philadelphia is our nation’s shining symbol of a revolutionary spirit that stood against oppression. Our monuments and symbols should reflect that spirit. That is why I write to express my support for the removal of the Christopher Columbus statue from Marconi Plaza, and to encourage the Art Commission to lead a thorough review of all city monuments and named public buildings, including our schools, with a vision to redress and rectify symbols of white supremacy, racism, and oppression. Statues are not history. They are reflective of their moment of creation. They were never meant to be immutable to the passage of time and historical understanding and interpretation. As our city diversifies and evolves, it is the Art Commission’s responsibility to review symbols on public land to determine whether they stand the test of time.

In these ways, the Christopher Columbus statue at Marconi Plaza fails the public standard. Of its own right, the Columbus statue doesn’t exist for historical accuracy. Instead, it rewrites history even as it sits upon historic Leni Lenape land. In the effort to aggrandize one individual, it erases the Native American genocide and the trans-Atlantic slave trade that are part of Columbus’ legacy.

Like thousands of Philadelphians, I was appalled that the brutality and hate of Columbus’ past reared its ugly head again in the days surrounding citywide Black Lives Matter demonstrations for an end to police brutality. The City’s submission to the Art Commission clearly documents how vigilante mobs publicly menaced, threatened, and assaulted members of the public who showed up at Marconi Plaza. Columbus’ statute was used as a rallying point for hateful rhetoric and aggression. The threat to the public required a heavy and expensive police presence to little avail. Only once the statue was completely hidden did the attacks subside. The lack of remorse from these vigilante groups, even to this day, underscores that the very presence of the statue tarnishes the public spirit that Marconi Plaza, like all of our public spaces, must embrace.

The removal of the Columbus statue does not change the historical impact and legacy of Christopher Columbus. Indeed, Columbus’ legacy is impossible to forget. It is unfortunate that the brutality that Columbus symbolized was reinforced by so many last month. This is why the Art Commission is called to take action.

The public demands a better representation of our city and its future. Our public spaces require it. It’s time to remove the Christopher Columbus statue. And it’s long past time for the Art Commission to review symbols of a past that Philadelphia is working hard to change. In doing so, we open up the possibilities that can only occur when our public spaces belong to us all. Thank you for your consideration. Helen Gym Councilmember At-Large

Written Testimony from Kathleen

Received via email Dear Art Commission, As a tax payer and Philadelphia art enthusiast, I implore you not to remove this icon of the city. We have lost so many pieces of history and continuing to erase American history in our city is disgraceful and wrong. We are a history filled city with beautiful art and beautiful people. To remove the statue just because the mayor and his friends feel offended, would be an abuse of power and not in the majority interest of the city taxpayers. I beg you not to continue the erasing of our beautiful city's art and history. Tourism as a big part of the Philadelphia economy. If we continue to tear our city down, we will lose revenue and the interest for people to come here to see the greatest city in the United States of America. Further, the statue is a South Philly staple and removing it would be hurtful to the residents of the area. People who started this initiative of trying to remove statues are not even from Philadelphia. Please listen to the people of the city who live and pay taxes here to keep the economy moving. Another statue removal like this would surely encourage more people to continue to move out of the city by erasing it's rich history and culture. Sincerely, Kate

PHILADELPHIA’S OFFICIAL AGENCY TO PROMOTE EQUAL RIGHTS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL PEOPLE

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

July 22, 2020

Art Commission

1515 Arch Street

13th Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19102

Re: Removal of Christopher Columbus Statue at Marconi Plaza

To the Commissioners:

Thank you for the opportunity to offer this testimony on behalf of the Philadelphia Commission

on Human Relations, the City’s civil rights agency.

There is a biblical story about a king who dreamt about a statue with a head of gold, a chest of

silver, legs of bronze, but feet of baked clay. What did the dream mean? A statue of a hero with

clay feet cannot stand and the society he represents will forever be divided. And that is the

reality with the statute of Christopher Columbus in Marconi Plaza. It must be removed.

For generations, children across the country and in our City were taught the story of Columbus,

the explorer who challenged the notion that the world was flat and went on to discover America.

According to the legend, he encountered gullible native people with whom he traded trinkets for

riches which made him a hero in his adopted country of Spain.

We no longer teach in our schools that Columbus “discovered” America. In fact, he never set

foot here. Historians have confirmed that the core of that story is a myth, a legend, a lie. What

Columbus discovered when he landed in Hispaniola, or what is now Haiti and the Dominican

Republic in 1492, were indigenous Taino people, who stood in the way of his quest for gold.

Columbus was the first European to set foot on that land and as a result of his colonization

efforts, in roughly 50 years, the Taino were decimated by warfare, slavery, and disease. His

exploitation, torture, rape and ultimately genocide did not yield the bounty his supporters

expected from his missions. The story of Columbus is filled with platitudes, falsehoods, and

omissions. It is one that elevates imperialism, racism, and inhumanity over equality, justice, and

compassion.

We are now, as American society, finally beginning to acknowledge the evils we have

perpetrated against indigenous peoples who have, against all odds, managed to survive our

attempts to destroy them. At this time in our nation’s history, the statue is a clear and constant

reminder of our country’s dark history, a history that is perpetuated today through oppression,

discrimination, and inequality of people of color.

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RELATIONS The Curtis Center

601 Walnut Street, Suite 300 South

Philadelphia, PA 19106

Telephone (215) 686-4670

Fax (215) 686-4684

SALLY BARAKA, ESQ.

Chairperson

RUE LANDAU, ESQ.

Executive Director

PHILADELPHIA’S OFFICIAL AGENCY TO PROMOTE EQUAL RIGHTS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL PEOPLE

Leaving Columbus’s statute in place would signify shirking our responsibility to rectify these

past injustices.

We recognize that many Italian Americans view Christopher Columbus as a symbol of Italian

pride. To many, he stands in contrast to the terrible treatment and prejudice that Italian

immigrants experienced when they arrived in America and to the denigration that still persists in

stereotypes perpetuated by mass media.

It is important that we celebrate the contributions of Italian Americans to our nation’s and our

City’s economic, social, and political lives. Let’s join together to honor and publically

commemorate Italian Americans, particularly Philadelphians, whose actions exemplify the best

expressions of our common humanity. Take down the statue and replace it with a real hero.

Sincerely,

Rue Landau Sally Baraka

Executive Director Chairperson

WILLIAMS COLLEGE, WILLIAMSTOWN, MA 01267

DEPARTMENT OF ART

Spencer Art, 35 Driscoll Hall Drive

Lawrence Hall, 15 Lawrence Hall Drive

Tel: (413) 597-3578

Fax: (413) 597-3698 (Spencer Art)

Fax: (413) 597-3498 (Lawrence Hall)

Alan Greenberger

Chair, City of Philadelphia Art Commission

1515 Arch St.

Philadelphia, PA 19102

re: Columbus Memorial on Marconi Plaza

July 21, 2020

Dear Commissioner Greenberger, et al:

Thank for you the opportunity to weigh in on the Christopher Columbus memorial on

Marconi Plaza. I am a scholar of American art and architecture with a specialty in the cultural

history of Philadelphia; among my books are Architecture and the Violent Mind, a biography of

Philadelphia architect Frank Furness, and the forthcoming Philadelphia Builds. I am also the

architecture critic of the Wall Street Journal. It is from the perspective of a historian and cultural

critic that I write.

The Columbus Memorial is significant as the first monumental expression of the Italian

presence in the population of the United States. It was unveiled at the Centennial Exposition in

1876, at a time when Italian immigration had just begun in earnest. At its dedication ceremony,

its Italian origin and identity was the central theme of: the statue was – one speaker noted – “of

Italian marble, modeled and carved in Italy by Italians, and gift of Italy to America.” If it does

not seem remarkable to us it that Philadelphia could erect a conspicuous monument to Italian-

American friendship, it should. Only three decades earlier, Nativist mobs had burned several

Irish Catholic churches to the ground in Philadelphia.

In other words, the Columbus Memorial is an inspiring symbol of the American capacity

to accept and welcome new populations. To conflate it with the public monuments to the

Confederacy, built in order to intimidate or terrify, would be to distort the history of this city. If

Philadelphians have forgotten that the Columbus was created as a symbol of international good

will and ethnic tolerance, they need to be taught that. Ignorance should not be an excuse for

destroying a major part of our shared cultural heritage.

The historic legacy of Christopher Columbus is vast and complex, and cannot be reduced

to a single sentence. That legacy will be, and should be, debated as long as people ponder their

history. Part of that legacy is how he was remembered across the centuries, of which

Philadelphia’s Columbus Memorial is a crucial relic. Let me repeat what I said at the outset: The

Columbus Memorial is significant as the first monumental expression of the Italian presence in

the population of the United States. To sweep it from the landscape of Philadelphia would be a

lamentable act of cultural vandalism, and a gratuitous self-inflicted wound.

Cordially yours,

Michael J Lewis

Faison-Pierson-Stoddard Professor of Art

PS: Incidentally, the actual designer of the memorial was not Emanuele Caroni, as one invariably

reads, but an academic sculptor active in Florence identified only as Professor Salla, whose

career I am working to unravel.

July 20, 2020

Philadelphia Art Commission1515 Arch Street, 13th FloorPhiladelphia, PA 19103Cc: Margot Berg, the City of Philadelphia Public Art DirectorDelivered via email: margot.berg@phila.gov

Dear Commissioners:

On behalf of the Office of Immigrant Affairs, I respectfully submit comments for the reviewprocess of the Christopher Columbus Statue at Marconi Plaza, Broad Street and OregonAvenue, 2700 South Broad Street. We hold the position that the continued existence of thestatue in question brings harm to the residents of Philadelphia. The Office of Immigrant Affairs ischarged with promoting the well-being of Philadelphia’s immigrant communities. We do this byrecommending and developing policies and programs, which in turn provide opportunity andaccess to services. We help facilitate the successful inclusion of immigrants into the civic,economic, and cultural life of the city. We highlight the essential role that immigrants haveplayed and continue to play in our city.

It is well documented that Christopher Columbus, while an iconic figure recognized for his initial“discoveries” of America, is also infamously recognized for his domination and oppression ofindigenous people upon his exposure to them in the new lands. As an explorer, his pathways tothe new lands opened up other European explorers to come and eventually establish colonies inthe Americas. Fast forwarding a few hundred years through the establishment of the UnitedStates government, civil war, and the abolition of slavery, our modern day America is stillplagued by the legacy of Columbus and the exploitation of land and people that he represents.

Among the immigrant and refugee population in Philadelphia, there are those who have facedoppression, violence and persecution because of their identities. Some are indigenous people intheir home countries and faced the impact of modern day colonization and imperialism, andwere forced to flee and find refuge in the United States. In a country that boasts of freedom andopportunity, it seems contradictory to hold up the figure of a well-known violent oppressor. As aWelcoming City, it is in our best interest to be thoughtful about the ways that public spaces and

complex historical symbols can create unwelcoming environments for residents we are activelytrying to include and engage.

Philadelphia’s vibrant Italian community has consistently celebrated Christopher Columbus as aprevailing symbol of Italian heritage during their annual flag raising ceremony and parade.However, the protests over the last eight weeks across our country and within the City ofPhiladelphia have highlighted the need to more critically analyze statues and monuments inpublic spaces that are meant to welcome all of our city’s residents. Of particular concern is theviolence that has erupted at Marconi Plaza creating an unsafe environment for residents. Ouroffice hopes the City and community can find other public ways to celebrate Italian culture andresidents within the City that do not compromise the health and safety of other communitymembers.

The Office of Immigrant Affairs thanks the members of the Philadelphia Art Commission forthoughtfully considering all perspectives, and for providing a forum to carefully consider how theCity of Philadelphia moves forward to reconcile racial trauma of the past with today’s diverseand multicultural community.

Sincerely,

Amy EusebioExecutive DirectorOffice of Immigrant Affairs

I am interested in the Christopher Columbus statute now located in the Marconi Plaza for the following

reasons:

1. Relationship to the City of Philadelphia: It is primarily a historic artistic reference related to the

1876 Centennial International Exhibition commemorating the 100th Birthday of our Nation held

in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park.

2. American Immigration: The artwork was initially paid for by the small Italian Immigrant

Community living in Philadelphia at that time of the Centennial celebration erected with the

intent of showing their appreciation to this Nation as their new homeland. The statue was not

established for the dissemination of any political motives other than recognition of the amity

between peoples, nor was it a State gift from Italy to the People of America. The statute, when

erected was devoid of the knowledge of the unintended consequences that Columbus’s voyages

would render upon the Native Peoples of the American Continents.

3. A Work of Art: The statue is a creative work of art attributed to Emanuele Caroni and one of the

few remaining artifacts of the 1876 Centennial that remain intact within the City of Philadelphia.

Cause for Removal: Controversy

While it is easy to blame Columbus for the obvious wrongs that were wrought upon the indigenous

people of this Country, to do so is to make Columbus a scapegoat for the acts of genocide conducted

upon the Native Peoples by the leaders of the American Government to which Columbus had no

connection.

While the removal of the Statue of Columbus may represent a symbolic act of reprobation, it does little

to right the wrongs done by those truly responsible. Certainly, the humble Italian immigrants who

presented this Statue to the City and the Nation as a gesture of good will had no personal involvement

in wronging the Native Peoples, nor did the statute signal an attitude of bias against any particular Tribe.

Therefore, it is my contention that before any removal of the Statute of Columbus should take place the

following efforts in behalf of City’s Native Peoples and Indigenous Peoples should be enacted:

1. The central portion of the area commonly known as “Penn’s Landing” currently under

development by the Delaware River Waterfront Commission should be immediately

curtailed and all assets attributable to that returned to a new corporation under the

direction of a newly formed Board of Local Native American Tribes with full apologies on

behalf of the people of this City and State.

2. The Board of Local Native American Tribes be issued true legal title to the land and remain

properly designated as overseers to the development of this property for the benefit of the

Tribes involved.

3. That all Native American’s living within the City of Philadelphia, at the expense of the City,

be afforded complete scholarships, and all other needed expenses, to any College,

University of their choice as long as that College or University is located within the

boundaries of the City, and the one receiving the scholarship has met the necessary

educational requirement of the accepting institution.

Addendum: A Statue has neither eyes to see, or ears to hear, or a tongue with which to speak.

Removing the Statue of Columbus from Marconi Square to another location, or even a museum, cannot

serve as retribution to the wrongs that our nation, We The People, have perused upon the Native

Peoples of our Country, some with their own compliance. This particular statue has a history of its own

free from that of Columbus’ interaction with the Natives of the “New World.” To dishonor that history is

merely to carry on the tradition of destroying the history of another group’s culture and understanding

of itself.

Thank you,

Steve Perzan 118 W. Nedro Ave., Apt B Philadelphia, PA 19120 215-532-0872 (cell); sperzan@msn.com Submitted: July 20, 2020 to The Philadelphia Art Commission

STATEMENT OF JOSEPH V. SCELSA, ED.D.

PHILADELPHIA ARTS COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS STATUE, MARCONI PLAZA

July 22, 2020

My name is Joseph Scelsa, Founder and President of the Italian American Museum in New York City’s

“Little Italy” on the corner of Grand and Mulberry Streets.

The Italian American Museum was officially founded on June 12, 2001 when it was chartered under the

aegis of the University of the State of New York, Education Department as a museum. The Italian American

Museum is more than an immigrant museum. Its purpose is to document the myriad contributions made by

the people of Italy and their descendents to the very fabric of American society from its earliest origins and

its philosophical underpinning through philosophers, explorers, adventurers, industrialists, scientists,

educators, politicians and everyday people, telling the whole story which continues to flourish and evolve in

America today.

Prior to becoming executive director of the Italian American Museum, I was a Vice President at Queens

College, CUNY and the first Dean of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute of The City University

of New York. During my tenure at the University, I was also appointed Vice Chair of the Multi-Cultural

Advisory Board and Co-Chair of the Intergroup Relations Council of the New York City Board of

Education. In 1992, I sued CUNY for discrimination along with forty other Italian American professors and

on October 18, 1992 was granted a Federal Court injunction barring CUNY from discriminating against

Italian Americans at the University in hiring, promotions and tenure.

I hold a Doctorate in Sociology and Education from Columbia University’s Teachers College, the subject of

my dissertation being “Constructive Pluralism”. It is a concept by which each group respects the rights of

the other to celebrate and practice their culture in their own way and share those practices and beliefs with

other groups in a civil society. Thus, in my mind, maintenance of the monuments in particular those of

Christopher Columbus are strongly supported by constructive pluralism, a concept endorsed by The United

Nations in promoting peace and harmony in a pluralistic world.

The removal or alteration, in any way, of the Christopher Columbus statue does not! That would be

“Destructive Pluralism”, the very opposite of what is intended. What is necessary is dialogue between

peoples with the goal of obtaining a mutual respect and understanding of each other. No one group, whether

large or small, should be replaced or superseded by another. To be fair to one is to be fair to all.

I implore the Philadelphia Arts Commission to take seriously these remarks. Your good intentions are no

substitute for unintended consequences. Removal of the Columbus statue pits one group against another.

That must stop if we are to maintain a civil society and restore domestic tranquility.

Thank you for the opportunity to express my views on this important issue.

Joseph V. Scelsa, Ed.D.

President/CEO

Italian American Museum

1806 Hering Avenue

Bronx, NY 10461

718.931.6935

Written Testimony from Theresa Vaccarino

Received via email

This writing is a comment on the discussion concerning the removal of the Columbus Statue. I am an American who appreciates both the history of those of faith and courage and the beauty of sculpture . Art , in particular, sculpture invokes a message that is thought provoking. The freedom to think for oneself and question is an individual right. I see nothing to fear in an image that was cast to display the past. I question this desire to refute history by removing this Columbus Statue as an attack against humanity. Those who perceive themselves to have power over those they are to serve prove themselves to be unworthy when they choose to limit the rights of freedom and expression. I pray with sincerity that wisdom will prevail over those who enter this discussion. Sincerely, Theresa Vaccarino