Who is Silent Sam?

CHAPEL HILL, NC (WTVD) -- Following the toppling of the Confederate statue on UNC's campus Monday evening, some of you are wondering, who is Silent Sam? Here are some facts about the statue:


[Ads /]

• Erected in 1913
• Located on the north side of UNC's campus facing Franklin Street. The old well is in its backdrop.
• The statue recognizes UNC alumni men who fought and died in the Civil War (more than 1,000 UNC Alumni participated)
• The statue was given to UNC by the group Daughters of the Confederacy.
• The relief beneath the statue of the soldier depicts a woman -- representing the state of North Carolina -- exhorting a student to drop his books and join the cause.
• The statue is considered silent because it doesn't have ammunition and the gun cannot be fired.