By Ronald P. Davis
Open Letter to Mayor Stewart and Members of the New Britain Common Council,
I am writing in support for the removal of New Britain’s Christopher Columbus statue and for action to be taken for the name changing of Columbus Boulevard.
Although Christopher Columbus is remembered as a ground-breaking explorer, we must remember his actions led to the transatlantic slave trade and the mass killing and exploitation of indigenous people. He is the cornerstone of ‘Institutional Racism’ in America.
As a community, we cannot continue to praise a man who stole land and continually chose to dehumanize native people. Why should we have a statue, or a street dedicated to anyone who stands as a symbol for the violence?
In recognizing Italian American History, I support the statue being moved to a local museum or to a location celebrating Italian Heritage.
Thank you for your attention and time with this matter and I do hope you and the Common Council leadership will consider this request to move the Christopher Columbus statue and change the name of Columbus Boulevard as quickly as possible.
Thank you for your leadership.
Editor’s Note: Ronald P. Davis is a community leader in numerous roles, including at Bethesda Apostolic Church, as President of the NAACP New Britain Branch and as the Vice-Chair of the New Britain Democratic Party.
