NC Senate passes funding for Freedom Park, African American monuments on Capitol ground

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Republican-led North Carolina Senate on Monday passed $4 million in funding for Freedom Park and monuments honoring the contributions of African Americans in North Carolina at the State Capitol in Raleigh.

In 2018, the N.C. Historical Commission recommended adding contextual signage to the monuments already on the Capitol grounds and adding other monuments honoring the lives and contributions of black Americans. Senate leaders committed to those recommendations.

An amendment to Senate Bill 803 provides $2.5 million for the signage and monuments on the Capitol grounds and $1.5 million for Freedom Park between the Legislative Building and the Executive Mansion.

The park would recognize the "enduring roles of African Americans in the struggle for freedom in the state," and commemorate the "historic and ongoing struggles for freedom."

"The N.C. Historical Commission's recommendations to add context to the monuments currently standing and adding new monuments were well-thought-out and well-received," said Sen. Harry Brown, R-Onslow. "For centuries, African Americans in North Carolina have made countless contributions to our state and have changed the fabric of our society. We must recognize them, and it is past time that we do so."

The funding for the park and monuments was part of the state budget that Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed in 2019.