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“Words matter. The majority of Ohioans would be shocked to learn that this exception is still in our governing document,” said Thomas in a written release issued on June 19. “As we embark on making structural changes to our laws and policies that adversely impact people of color, it is important that Ohio lawmakers stand together to eliminate this painful reminder of a ruinous time in the history of our country.”
State Rep. Juanita Brent, D-Cleveland, introduced a resolution urging Congress to designate June 19th — known as Juneteenth — a paid federal holiday. On June 19, 1865, news of the end of slavery more than two years earlier finally reached southwestern states two months after the end of the Civil War.
Also this week, state Rep. Janine Boyd, D-Cleveland Heights, called for a special meeting of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board, which oversees the Ohio Statehouse and its grounds. Boyd wants the board to consider removing a monument to Christopher Columbus on the grounds.
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Boyd said in a written statement that there is a long overdue racial reckoning across the country.
“Removal of this statue is not erasing history, but rather choosing not to celebrate and idolize those who do not deserve the public’s admiration. Christopher Columbus should never have been heralded as a hero and put up on a pedestal,” she said. “This statue on the Statehouse grounds represents a dark legacy of slavery, oppression, exploitation and genocide. To people of color, it is a history still affecting our everyday lives as racism continues to pervade this country.”
Boyd’s push for the statue removal comes as Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther announced another Christopher Columbus statue would be removed from in front of Columbus City Hall.
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