The Talbot County Council decided for a second time to keep the statue of a confederate soldier known as the Talbot Boys on the county courthouse lawn.
The state had ruled that an earlier decision violated the Open Meetings Act because it took place behind closed doors.
The council members said that they believed they had taken the sentiments of the community into consideration along with the history of the statue.
Richard Potter, president of the Talbot County branch of the NAACP, vowed to fight on to remove the statue.
“This is not over. We recognize that the council has made their choice, but that is not the right choice for the citizens of this county.”
There was no mention from the council of putting up a statue honoring the union soldiers that came from the county.
And, Potter charged that yesterday’s decision demonstrated , “We’re dealing with a council that has no cultural sensitivity and no cultural awareness. And, that was definitely displayed today.”
Rally
Before the council meeting the NAACP and its allies held a rally in front of the courthouse where the statue stands.
Brittaney Shanahan, who has a relative listed on the statue said that the recent shootings at the black church in North Carolina had been a wakeup call for taking down such symbols.
“It’s gained more attention. It has gained more traction. People are looking and seeing these memorials for the first time as I did last year. It’s just harder to ignore the clarity of what this stands for in the wake of those shootings.”
Meanwhile, supporters of the statue stood quietly on the sidelines – one with a small sign that read, “Save the Talbot
Boys”.
He did not want to be identified, but said that the statue symbolized, “Brave men that fought for and against a tyrant for their fellow citizens. The biggest thing for me, it stands for, this is our history.”
The NAACP and its allies said they will be meeting to figure out what their next move is in their efforts to remove the statue.