[$tinkle]

Clarendon War Memorial Shows More than Just War History

In preparation for Memorial Day, there’s a place in Arlington that might be worth a look — and it’s not Arlington National Cemetery.
Thousands pass by it daily, but many don’t realize that the large, stone structure flanked by cannons across from Clarendon Ballroom (and near the Clarendon Metro station) is actually a war memorial. It honors Arlington citizens who died in combat, up through Vietnam.
Of particular interest to historians is the World War I plaque on the side of the memorial, facing the intersection of Washington, Wilson and Clarendon Boulevards. Note that the last two names are separated from the others and have the distinction of “colored” listed in parentheses.

 

[X3pilot]

OK, and what is your point? You approve, makes you mad, you think it's racist and should come down. I mean, nice post, great pic, but what's your stand?

 

[ohio]

OK, and what is your point? You approve, makes you mad, you think it's racist and should come down. I mean, nice post, great pic, but what's your stand?

I'll tell you what I think of it... the opposite of whatever $tinkle writes, that's what.

 

[X3pilot]

County historians say this highlights the racial tensions at the time the plaque was made. However, a local resident with knowledge of the memorial’s history, who requested not to be named, says it wasn’t necessarily a sign of racial tensions. He said it’s simply representative of “how life was at that time.” There’s been debate over changing it, but the decision was made to leave the plaque as is.

The plaque has remained this way during the memorial’s multiple moves. The original location was at Wilson Blvd and Highland Street, then Clarendon Circle, then Courthouse. It was brought back to Clarendon in 1986 and has been there ever since.

The memorial was first erected in the early 1930s.

So, since Stink didn't copy pasta the rest of the article, there it is. Erected in 30's, been moved, plenty of chances to replace it, never was, doesn't seem to be any outrage in Arlington, plenty of memorials in DC, probably a lot more with this type thing.

While the fact they were colored is irrelevant now, at the time, it's how they made the memorials. Here's how I see it:

I'm glad there's a memorial for veterans there and anywhere there is one.
I think that instead of removing it, look to it as a teaching point that we should not classify people by color, and as a point of reference to future generations that despite the bias against them, peoples of various ethnicity contributed to the wars.

 

[$tinkle]

before there was history, there was black history

 

[DaveW]

And now there is black hysteria trolling.

 

[JohnE]

Interesting quote and post from a guy with a Malcolm X quote in his sig block...

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

Interesting quote and post from a guy with a Malcolm X quote in his sig block...

he does it for the irony

 

[jimmydean]

he does it for the irony

THAT should be his sig.

 

[DaveW]

THAT should be his sig.

or his title.

 

[$tinkle]

he's come a long way since the tuskegee airmen, eh?

 

[$tinkle]

uhh...memorial day is to honor the fallen, NOT veterans. pretty sure we vets have our own day for that.

but bush was the retard?

 

[ohio]

but bush was the retard?

Retarded politicians are not highlanders. There can be more than one.



(Also, love equivocating misunderstanding a holiday's significance with failing at every stated responsibility of a president)

 

[$tinkle]

makes me want to give a buffalo soldier syphilis