The Town of Carrboro is looking for applicants to help draft the language on the town’s Truth Plaque project. They’re seeking community members to contribute towards the plaque’s display regarding Julian Shakespeare Carr while promoting racial equality.
Carr, a Chapel Hill businessman, brought electricity to the community in the early 1900s after buying a textile mill. The town was renamed after him a few years later. Carr was a vocal white supremacist and helped establish the Silent Sam statue on UNC’s campus.
The Town of Carrboro is hoping to address these actions by creating a Truth Plaque for Town Hall, recognizing Carr’s prejudice and history while dedicating their own future efforts to acceptance and justice.
In a Board of Alderman meeting in May, Alderwoman Jacquelyn Gist explained her idea of what the plaque could say.
“The plaque can’t have a million words on it,” she said, “but like 100 words on the front acknowledging who we got our name from and that he made this horrific speech at the unveiling of Silent Sam – and we can say which is located just down the road – and then committing ourselves to constantly be fighting in favor of social justice.”
The application to contribute to the plaque is on the town’s website. Carrboro community members can also contact the town clerk to record their interest.
Photo via The Town of Carrboro
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