With Chadwick Boseman’s early passing, it is important that we honor a true local legend my immortalizing him in stone in front of the courthouse. The Confederate Monument belongs in a museum, but has no right to be displayed there. I believe the community should come together to honor someone from Anderson, South Carolina that was able to change the movie industry. He opened many doors for many young black people with his leading roles in movies such as Black Panther or Marshall. It is only natural that his hometown honors what he did. There is no need for political controversy in this decision. The old statue need not be destroyed; however, with the engravings on the base, it is beyond time for its retirement. The Anderson County Museum should be the permanent home to the Confederate Monument. It should be accompanied by the history of the monument and the reasoning for its relocation. It should preserve history, but not honor the ideals for which the Confederacy stood. I suggest that the Anderson City Council decide to replace the statue as soon as they possibly can. It would need to go through to South Carolina Senate as it is illegal to remove said Confederate Monument due to the Heritage Act (which was created as a compromise when the Confederate flag was taken down from the Statehouse). With help from the signers of this petition, I hope that it becomes apparent how popular this idea is. It is time to unify Anderson around a true local hero and time to honor all South Carolinians, not just the ideals of a few. The Heritage Act needs to be repealed and it should be up to the citizens of the town to decide whether or not the statues remain. I hope that the government of South Carolina see that the fate of said statues should be in the people's hands, not just government officials. The monument represents the idea that the South was justified in their war; therefore, the South was justified in owning living human beings. Etched into the stone reads "The world shall yet decide, in truths clear, far-off light, that the soldiers who wore the gray, and died with Lee, were in the right." Regardless of political party, one must recognize that the morality of the Confederate States was flawed and simply cannot be justified as "right" by today's standards. Anderson needs to honor a citizen that inspired millions. Anderson needs Chadwick Boseman, may he rest in peace.

(Note: This statue will only go up if it is approved by the city as well as the Boseman family. There are two separate causes in this petition. One of removing a monument that people believe shouldn’t be there and another of replacing the space left empty with a monument to a local person with a large cultural impact on the world. The notion to remove the confederate monument stands regardless of its replacement with another statue.)