Please sign this petition if you support the building of a permanent memorial for the countless lives lost to white supremacy and lynchings in North Carolina. Currently, there are at least 140 public spaces in North Carolina with Confederate monuments. Yet, our state fails to memorialize the countless lives lost due to racial terror.

Our nation has a history of genocide fueled by white supremacy. Lynchings were racially motivated killings that were often observed by hundreds of people of all ages. Over 120 known lynchings were reported in North Carolina from 1860 to 1950 in letters, newspapers, and postcards. These events were sanctioned by the government and endorsed by the community. Black codes, laws introduced during the early years of Reconstruction, were used to legally punish & re-enslave black citizens. One law in North Carolina, called “Reckless Eyeballing,” stated that even looking at a white person could be called assault under the law. These black  codes led to sanctioned, legal racial terror of citizens in the state of North Carolina.

We are a group of high school students who are committed to developing a permanent public acknowledgement to the many victims of lynching in the state of North Carolina. Since 2016, we have been working with community leaders and local government officials to make our vision a reality. What
began as a class project has turned into a commitment to recognizing the truths about our state’s history.

Physical monuments have the power to shape collective memory. We created this project so we, as a city, county, and state, will know the truth about our nation’s history. We will continue to learn from our history in order to promote truth and reconciliation of our past and build a better future.

Possible location: State Capitol Grounds

Cost: $100,000

To join us in our fight for racial justice, please visit the Freedom Struggle Committee website (https://www.raleighcharterhs.org/fsc/) If you would like to donate directly to the work of the Freedom Struggle Committee, you can do so here:  Memorializing NC Lynching Victims Fund (http://bit.ly/donatefsc)