Petition to The City of Savannah to Retain the Name of Calhoun Square
153 Comments
J
Jeanette Carson
5 years ago
We need to keep history, both good and bad. The square's name should NOT change.
D
Diane King
5 years ago
City of Savannah documents reveal that Calhoun Square is not and never was a burial ground for enslaved people.
S
Stewart Daniel
5 years ago
Savannah is a historic city. The square should retain its historical name.
R
Ron Finger
5 years ago
History does not need to deleted.
B
Bernard Logan Jr
5 years ago
If anyone thought for one moment that the name-change of Calhoun Sq. would stop there...but it will not. Nearly the entire Historic area is comprised of structures, squares and streets representing 'the good, the bad and the ugly' of our storied history. Oglethorpe was a stock holder & officer of the Royal African Company, the Crown sanctioned slave-trading concern. Shall we remove all things related to JEO? Rename Johnson Sq? After all, Johnson was the governor of SC when JEO arrived. Tomochichi too? The American aborigine all engaged in the slave-trade. Drayton, Habersham, Whitaker streets will also loose their historic references. The First African Baptist Church & The First Bryan Baptist Church were both created by Andrew Bryan, a freed black slave who owned his own slaves....!! Tear down those structures??? Doubtful....Who will pay for the cost to replace all of the signage, maps, etc. that reference Calhoun Square? While the name(s) might change, the truth does not. So what is the real purpose of the push to destroy the very thread that creates the cloth that brings in the storied and much promoted 'tourist tax dollar'?! The push is short-sightedness and smacks of tainted politics.....
C
Christy Cook
5 years ago
Keep Calhoun and Whitefield Squares.
J
JHolman
5 years ago
I am strongly against renaming the square. Put a plaque up for more educational context.
F
Frank Jamison Eckel
5 years ago
My great grandfather fought with Sherman,he would turn over in his grave,trying change history this way,LEAVE IT Alone they fought with respect,now political correct,A H don’t understand honor,have egos ,to change history for you to judge the of the past.. it was there world,not ours to second guess.
S
Susan Lowrey Flaherty
5 years ago
Do not change the name of Calhoun Square. I support erecting a plaque to provide context.
D
Dian Brownfield
5 years ago
While I support the efforts to honor African American contributions made within the City of Savannah, I do not believe those efforts should be directed on Calhoun Square.
R
Robert M Edgerly
5 years ago
Build new squares if you need to name one but otherwise leave the historic district's character in tact
If the Georgia Historical Society has no record of a burial ground then there's no burial ground.
John C. Calhoun was the longest serving US Senator before Robert Byrd and served as Vice President of the USA.
He and Andrew Jackson were instrumental in keeping the secessionist in Carolina from leaving the Union. When they died it all fell apart.
M
Marguerite Labrot
5 years ago
You can start changing the names of the squares in Savannah, when Yale University changes its name, also named after a slave owner. What hypocrisy!
C
Connie B Hiott
5 years ago
Please leave the name as is!
R
Robert Schivera
5 years ago
Do not change the name. I do not live downtown, but have worked downtown for over 45 years. One of the reasons I do is to enjoy the squares and history; “The good, the bad and the ugly,” from movie of same name!! John Calhoun’s opinions are abhorrent to current society and humanity, but his opinions were not unknown almost 200 years ago. After the Virginians that played significant roles in the founding of our counrty through the American Revolution, Declaration of Independence and adoption of U.S. Constitution, John C Calhoun has to be one of the most significant southerners prior to The Civil War. He served as a senator from S.C., Secretary of War, Secretary of State and Vice President under 2 different Presidents. And, a key point people overlook, he died in 1850…prior to the Civil War so he never “seceded” and became a part of the Confederacy. We can argue about what he might have done in 1861, but that is the part of history that is important; reading it, thinking about it and discussing it. Remove history, you remove a level of civic discourse.
RWS
K
Kathy Virant
5 years ago
Don't change history, educate people from a historical perspective.
A
Anonymous
5 years ago
History can't be swept under the rug.
K
Kathleen Plotycia
5 years ago
Don’t erase history. Install a plaque that explains the history of Calhoun and the significance of the Square.
We need to keep history, both good and bad. The square's name should NOT change.
City of Savannah documents reveal that Calhoun Square is not and never was a burial ground for enslaved people.
Savannah is a historic city. The square should retain its historical name.
History does not need to deleted.
If anyone thought for one moment that the name-change of Calhoun Sq. would stop there...but it will not. Nearly the entire Historic area is comprised of structures, squares and streets representing 'the good, the bad and the ugly' of our storied history. Oglethorpe was a stock holder & officer of the Royal African Company, the Crown sanctioned slave-trading concern. Shall we remove all things related to JEO? Rename Johnson Sq? After all, Johnson was the governor of SC when JEO arrived. Tomochichi too? The American aborigine all engaged in the slave-trade. Drayton, Habersham, Whitaker streets will also loose their historic references. The First African Baptist Church & The First Bryan Baptist Church were both created by Andrew Bryan, a freed black slave who owned his own slaves....!! Tear down those structures??? Doubtful....Who will pay for the cost to replace all of the signage, maps, etc. that reference Calhoun Square? While the name(s) might change, the truth does not. So what is the real purpose of the push to destroy the very thread that creates the cloth that brings in the storied and much promoted 'tourist tax dollar'?! The push is short-sightedness and smacks of tainted politics.....
Keep Calhoun and Whitefield Squares.
I am strongly against renaming the square. Put a plaque up for more educational context.
My great grandfather fought with Sherman,he would turn over in his grave,trying change history this way,LEAVE IT Alone they fought with respect,now political correct,A H don’t understand honor,have egos ,to change history for you to judge the of the past.. it was there world,not ours to second guess.
Do not change the name of Calhoun Square. I support erecting a plaque to provide context.
While I support the efforts to honor African American contributions made within the City of Savannah, I do not believe those efforts should be directed on Calhoun Square.
Build new squares if you need to name one but otherwise leave the historic district's character in tact If the Georgia Historical Society has no record of a burial ground then there's no burial ground. John C. Calhoun was the longest serving US Senator before Robert Byrd and served as Vice President of the USA. He and Andrew Jackson were instrumental in keeping the secessionist in Carolina from leaving the Union. When they died it all fell apart.
You can start changing the names of the squares in Savannah, when Yale University changes its name, also named after a slave owner. What hypocrisy!
Please leave the name as is!
Do not change the name. I do not live downtown, but have worked downtown for over 45 years. One of the reasons I do is to enjoy the squares and history; “The good, the bad and the ugly,” from movie of same name!! John Calhoun’s opinions are abhorrent to current society and humanity, but his opinions were not unknown almost 200 years ago. After the Virginians that played significant roles in the founding of our counrty through the American Revolution, Declaration of Independence and adoption of U.S. Constitution, John C Calhoun has to be one of the most significant southerners prior to The Civil War. He served as a senator from S.C., Secretary of War, Secretary of State and Vice President under 2 different Presidents. And, a key point people overlook, he died in 1850…prior to the Civil War so he never “seceded” and became a part of the Confederacy. We can argue about what he might have done in 1861, but that is the part of history that is important; reading it, thinking about it and discussing it. Remove history, you remove a level of civic discourse. RWS
Don't change history, educate people from a historical perspective.
History can't be swept under the rug.
Don’t erase history. Install a plaque that explains the history of Calhoun and the significance of the Square.
Excellent Petition, Agree 100%!
Excellent Petition, agree 100%
Do not change the name!!!