By Ron Kurtz
June 2020
“Rather than espousing bitterness and blame regarding the behavior of those who came before us, why not take a moment out of a busy day and sit down on the bench beside David? Reflect on how, in the here and now, we can move forward through theses perilous days and find ways that we can create a more equitable America that better reflects our vision for the future.”
The statue of David Levy Yulee was placed at the historic train depot to recognize Yulee’s many worthy achievements. When Florida was a territory, Yulee fought for statehood, he was the first Jewish United States Senator, and he was the founder of the new town of Fernandina bringing the railroad to our city which expanded commercial activity throughout our community. All of these achievements are part of the historical record including the fact that Yulee used slave labor to build the railroad.
The authors of the opinion [June 23, 2020] piece have cherry-picked history in support of their prejudice. They imply that David Levy Yulee was a racist because he owned slaves. That places him firmly in the company of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Should we banish all statues of our Founding Families from public view and limit their location to museums solely on the basis of their ownership of slaves?
As for being placed in a museum setting, the writers have ignored the obvious. The statue is already in a museum setting. It is displayed within the Historic District. Right behind it in the Historic Depot is a museum display giving context to the man, his achievements, and the era in which he lived
Weaponizing history with loaded words to make a point about slavery is a double-edged sword. The writers are apparently unaware of the fact that Anna Madgigine Jai Kingsley owned slaves. Her descendants have a mighty presence on Amelia Island: Abraham Lincoln Lewis and MaVynee Betsch, our own “Beach Lady,” among others. Anna was a slave due to the duplicity of her uncle who slaughtered part of his Senegalese family in a power struggle in Africa. He sold his niece to slavers and she ended up in the slave markets of Havana, Cuba, where she was purchased by Zephaniah Kingsley, Jr. In addition to their extensive holdings off-island, they owned warehouses in Old Town. Does the fact that she owned slaves mandate that her story be accessed only in the archives of the Museum?
If the writers are intent on visually purifying the streets of Fernandina, perhaps their next target will be the cherished local icon, Pirate Pete, who resides next to the Statue of David Levy Yulee. Pirates trafficked in slavery, robbery, rape and pillage. Our moral guardians should have a field day with that one!
“Rather than espousing bitterness and blame regarding the behavior of those who came before us, why not take a moment out of a busy day and sit down on the bench beside David? Reflect on how, in the here and now, we can move forward through these perilous days and find ways that we can create a more equitable America that better reflects our vision for the future.”
Editor’s Note: Born in Pittsburgh, Pa., Ron’s early life was one of travel, having started school in Wurtzberg, Germany. A graduate of NYU, he attended Hiram College as well. Shortly after arriving on Amelia Island in 1994, he was appointed director of The Amelia Island Museum of History. As the author of adult and Childrens’ books, he lectures on regional history for the Roads Scholar Programs and has been actively involved in our local Theatres.
Well said ….there is no way to erase the history of our American experience….and where exactly would you stop erasing?
Learn from it and reflect on how the times were certainly different then and that in spite of all our differences …we’re all Americans.
Learn from history. Shutting down history is essentially rewriting history – to no one’s benefit – and our society’s detriment. It’s time to learn, thing, and be easier on others. Easier on ourselves. And respect and learn from those that – at least – allowed us to be here. Ron Kurtz is a wise man.
I propose two standards by which the community could judge whether to leave or move the statue of David Yulee.
Was the statue placed there to offend and terrorize a segment of the Fernandina community? Many of the statues of Confederate leaders were placed years after the War Between the States in order to legitimize a system that increased the power of one class and race at the expense of another. Terror enforced slavery, and terror enforced segregation. Some of David Yulee’s actions were offensive, and it took a violent conflict in order to put an end to some of them. David Yulee did not build the railroad to Cedar Key. He may have played a key role in planning and organizing the political and financial resources required to get it done. It would not have been done in that way and at that time without him. Perhaps we should be more clear about why he deserves recognition. But the statue of David Yulee is not a monument to the Confederacy or the Jim Crow south. It was not meant to offend. So, by the first standard, I’d give the statue a pass. Let it stay.
But there’s another standard that we should also apply. Even if the statue was not meant to offend, as some statues were, how is it actually being perceived? What do the descendants of those who were enslaved by David Yulee and others like him see in the statue? How do the descendants of those who built his railroad, or died trying, feel about it? Would it be more inclusive, historically accurate and acceptable if the laborers, mostly enslaved Africans who built the first railroad across Florida, were similarly honored? Even if the statue was not meant to be offensive, if it actually does offend the African-American community, I’d say move it. (Mt 5:23-25). If it is not felt to be offensive, or it can be improved enough to pass, then let it stay.
(Rev.) Ernie Davis
Thank you Ron Kurtz for a thoughtful and beautifully written article. We cannot – and should not – try to erase our past if we are to understand where and who we are today. If we were to try to eradicate memorials to all prior slave owners, many of our early presidents and other founding fathers would be banned from public view. Slaves and former slaves who owned slaves themselves are part of our complicated, often convoluted history. Slavery continues here today, driven underground, and now called trafficking (in human beings). It flourishes in this country as elsewhere.
Thanks Ron. Tourists love the statue and love being photographed with it. David Yulee had to flee Spain during the inquisition because he was Jewish.
When will this madness about obliterating history end.
Many commentators are reframing the debate in hyperbole – no one is asking anyone to “erase the past” or “erase history,” and to keep repeating that is showing a woeful lack of awareness of Black and racism issues. Likewise, the old phrase, “we can’t change history so just concentrate on the present and future” belies what any historian worth his/her salt knows – the past creates the present. We must acknowledge all of the past to understand the present and create a more just and equitable future. I would call for a full and balanced of histories to be shown, acknowledging the enslavement of people by Yulee (who had the legislature change his Jewish name to a more “acceptable” Anglo-Saxon one, a rich white man’s privilege at the time, by the way), put up equal-sized monuments to the rich culture that Blacks offered Fernandina (e.g., including many successful businesses, accepted biracial marriages under Spanish rule), etc. As someone said earlier, many (most?) of the monuments put up from 1880 – 1960 were designed to glorify the “Lost Cause” and “Redeemer” narrative, which was white supremacist to the hilt. Yes, they are maximally offensive.
You need to stop making sense. People can’t handle it anymore.
Spot on Ron! Great response.
Or, we could do as the taliban, BLM & Antifa (both marxists organizations) do and tear down everything good & bad. These history revisionists are having a hay day with our nations lack of law enforcement. God bless our dumbed down country. Thanks for the reality check Ron.