Dublin Core
Title
United Confederate Veterans Memorial of Seattle, Washington
Description
The United Confederate Veterans Memorial was a Confederate memorial located in Lake View Cemetery in Seattle, Washington. The memorial was erected by May Avery Wilkins, the president of the Robert E Lee Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1926. Her father was the Commander in Chief of a Georgia county Ku Klux Klan in the late 19th century. Wilkins was active for decades in the Seattle area and led local efforts to honor Confederate individuals. Thus showing the reach of the organization to states outside of the South. The memorial was built from the quartz monzonite from Stone Mountain. Which prides itself on being a central landmark in George and birthplace of the modern Ku Klux Klan. The dates "1861 to 1865" were etched into the base of the memorial. In between were two bayonets and an insignia in the cross section. Above it was a statement that this memorial was in honor of Confederate veterans.
Since its erection, the memorial has been vandalized repeatedly over the years. The flag insignia, bayonets, and a plaque with Robert E. Lee on it was stolen but kept being restored. In addition to parts being stolen, people were going to the cemetery and graffitiing parts of the stone. In 2017, the mayor proposed removing the symbols on the memorial. Since the memorial stood on private lands, the Seattle Human Rights Commission suggested that the Lake View Cemetery remove the memorial, no action was taken for over three years. Then on July 3rd, 2020, the memorial was reportedly toppled by a group of local activists in response to George Floyd's death. The cemetery removed the remains of the memorial in September 2020.
Since its erection, the memorial has been vandalized repeatedly over the years. The flag insignia, bayonets, and a plaque with Robert E. Lee on it was stolen but kept being restored. In addition to parts being stolen, people were going to the cemetery and graffitiing parts of the stone. In 2017, the mayor proposed removing the symbols on the memorial. Since the memorial stood on private lands, the Seattle Human Rights Commission suggested that the Lake View Cemetery remove the memorial, no action was taken for over three years. Then on July 3rd, 2020, the memorial was reportedly toppled by a group of local activists in response to George Floyd's death. The cemetery removed the remains of the memorial in September 2020.
Creator
May Avery Wilkins of Robert E Lee Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), established monument
Source
- Clarridge, Christine. "Seattle's own monument to the Confederacy was erected on Capitol Hill in 1926 — and it's still there." The Seattle Times. August 16, 2017.
- Friedman, Lena. "Toppled Confederate monument in Capitol Hill's Lake View Cemetery won't be restored." Capitol Hill Seattle. September 9, 2020. https://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2020/09/toppled-confederate-monument-in-capitol-hills-lake-view-cemetery-wont-be-restored/
- LeFevre, Charlette. "Removing Seattle's Confederate Memorial: United Daughters of the Confederacy, Veterans for Peace, and a Museum Find Common Ground." SeattlePi. March 20, 2018. https://www.seattlepi.com
Date
1926 - July 4, 2020
Contributor
Marissa Dong (2020), Kristina Gonzalez (2021)
Language
English
Type
Quartz Monzonite Memorial
Identifier
HIST 402A Fall 2020, Fall 2021
Coverage
Seattle, Washington