Dear UNC alumni, students would like to remind you where your money goes when you donate to the school.
On Thursday, UNC-Chapel Hill students, faculty, and town residents gathered at the site where Silent Sam once stood to protest the university’s decision to give the monument to the Sons of Confederate Veterans, as well as $2.5 million to take care of it.
The protest was organized by UNC’s Black Student Movement and Black Congress. Black Congress asked alums and residents to stop donating to the school unless the money specifically goes to “a cause that is fostered by and dedicated to the advancement of marginalized students and people on campus.”
More than a hundred protesters were on hand, carrying signs that said, “$2.5 million reparations to black students & faculty” and “UNC admin are KKKowards” to South Building, which houses Interim Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz’s office.
Sara Pequeño
Students carrying signs to South Building on UNC's Campus.
Various representatives from the student groups spoke at the event, during both the initial talk at the site and the speeches at South Building.
“I’m extremely disheartened,” Black Student Movement co-president Chris Suggs said in front of the crowd on Thursday afternoon. “I love UNC, I love North Carolina. But time after time, UNC and North Carolina have shown that they don’t necessarily love students like me.”
During the protest in front of South Building, Suggs pointed out UNC Police Chief David Perry, who was on the fringes of the event on his Segway. He mentioned that police officers tend to make him uncomfortable—despite the fact that he has family members on the force.
“I believe it’s necessary if you’re a leader and you know the issues that are going on on campus for you to interact with us, talk with us, and try to resolve some of our concerns,” Suggs said. “Make sure we’re not uncomfortable.”
Suggs recalled an incident from last week, where the police chief showed up at a Black Student Movement meeting intended for black men to have a safe discussion of campus events. He said Perry, who was invited by the group’s adviser, talked over a student who criticized the university’s response to student activism.
“He interrupted the student, didn’t allow the student to finish … and started defending his police department from before he was even the police chief,” Suggs said.
After the rally ended, Suggs and Perry had a tense moment. Standing on his Segway in the crowd of student protesters, Perry spoke over students when confronting Suggs about his description of the incident at BSM. Perry only stepped off his vehicle after repeated requests from students. The confrontation ended with Suggs telling Perry they would speak in the future.
Sara Pequeño
UNC Police Chief David Perry confronts UNC BSM co-president Chris Suggs.
A recent poll by Elon University found that two-thirds of North Carolinians understand that black people may find Confederate monuments offensive. Still, however, the lack of white student protesters on Thursday was obvious—and is common during Silent Sam protests. Tamia Sanders, co-chair of UNC’s Black Congress, says that there is usually a group of white graduate students at protests, but white students tend to be the minority. Worth noting: Almost 60 percent of UNC students are white.
“Before we started, I saw a bunch of guys playing frisbee. It would be nice to play frisbee—it’s a pretty day, try to destress,” Sanders said. “I just think about the differences of experiences here are so starkly different.”
Undergraduate students start their final exams Friday—Sanders said she has one Friday and another Saturday.
“We must love and support each other,” the crowd chanted at the foot of South Building. “We have nothing to lose but our chains.“
Contact digital content manager Sara Pequeño at spequeno@indyweek.com.
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