Discussions Rise About the Former Columbus Statue Outside City Hall

The Reemergence of the Columbus Statue in Columbus, Ohio

Five years after its removal, the Christopher Columbus statue that once stood outside of city hall in Columbus, Ohio, has sparked renewed discussions. City leaders decided to take it down in 2020 following community concerns that it represented a symbol of racism and should not be glorified. However, about two years ago, a group called Reimagining Columbus was given the task of developing a “generational vision” for how the statue might be reintroduced to the community.

Residents like Alicia Healy have expressed their support for the idea of bringing the statue back. “Very happy to hear that people are actually wanting it to be put back,” she said.

Dan Williamson, a member of the Reimagining Columbus project team, emphasized that the project was driven by one central question: “Is there a way to bring this statue back in the right way?” According to Williamson, the project concluded that there is a way, though it’s not a specific plan but rather a vision.

The proposal involves creating a park that includes the statue without making it the main focus. Surrounding the statue would be text detailing Columbus’ history. “People can look up at it with respect,” Williamson explained. “They can look down at it. They can come to the space and avoid the statue altogether and never see it.”

The vision also includes an approximately 5-acre park centered around a circular community gathering space, which could host festivals and concerts. Michelle Brandt, a local resident, described the plan as “pretty incredible.” She added, “It’s very ambitious, but I think it’s an opportunity to show the rest of the country also what we can do with something that’s maybe a little controversial. I think the park can serve a bigger purpose, which is to bring communities together.”

Throughout the process, Reimagining Columbus leaders said they facilitated several community conversations. “What’s most remarkable about it, particularly in this day and age and in the climate that we have today, you had people from different backgrounds and different points of view sitting across from each other, actually talking and listening to each other,” Williamson noted.

Williamson pointed out that the topic of the statue evokes strong feelings on both sides. “We think our heritage should be preserved,” said Joseph Healy, another resident. “I mean, the statues represent great men. They might’ve had flaws. If you go back in history, every great leader had flaws.”

However, not everyone shares this perspective. “There are other people who look at the statue and say why are we showing reverence to a person who caused the death of many indigenous people,” Williamson said.

Currently, there is no identified site or budget for the project. “If people see this and people are excited about it, then that could give it some momentum,” Williamson said. He believes this step will allow the city to gauge community reaction, with feedback guiding the next steps.

With Reimagining Columbus’ work complete, the decision now rests with the city. “Whatever comes out of this, I believe this is a national model for how do you bring a community together and actually attract people from different backgrounds, different cultures and different points of view to get them to have uncomfortable conversations about uncomfortable topics,” Williamson concluded.