Deciding Not To Decide On Silent Sam

WUNC News | By Frank Stasio,

Published August 29, 2018 at 12:37 PM EDT

Visitors to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill regard the base that Confederate statue 'Silent Sam' topped for 105 before being toppled by protesters.

The Confederate statue Silent Sam, which stood on University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s campus since 1913, was toppled last week. On Tuesday the UNC Board of Governors held a nearly five-hour meeting, conducted almost exclusively behind closed doors, to decide what to do with the controversial statue.

Host Frank Stasio speaks with WUNC education reporter Lisa Philip about the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill's indecision on what to do with the now toppled Confederate statue Silent Sam.

The resolution it eventually read to the public stated it would entrust the decision about to the Board of Trustees and UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Carol Folt. Folt said all options remained on the table, including repositioning the statue in its original place on campus.

Host Frank Stasio speaks with WUNC education reporter Lisa Philip about the university’s decision on the possible final resting place for this divisive statue.