In a surprising turn, one prominent figure targeted for removal during the social upheaval of 2020 has found a new home on the White House grounds, a move attributed to President Donald Trump and several steadfast American patriots.
A Shift in Symbolism
It seems that liberal groups are fine with erecting statues in public spaces as long as they carry a message perceived as morally or historically disruptive.
An instance of this is the striking golden statue representing a horned creature that appeared on the New York State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division in January 2023.
This was described as a depiction of a “dehumanized” figure, as claimed by Pakistani-born artist Shazia Sikander. Her work aimed to capture the “spirit” of the nationwide movement advocating for abortion rights and garnered attention from extremists both within and outside of the legal realm. Clare Bishop, an art history professor at the City University of New York, expressed excitement, mentioning in the New York Times that “Perhaps she can lead us back into society,” referencing Roe vs. Wade.
Another statue that liberal activists not only accepted but even celebrated is the ram-headed Baphomet, which the Satanic Temple placed at the Iowa State Capitol alongside a Satanic altar before Christmas that same year.
While liberal activists appear unfazed by such satanic imagery, they have shown disdain for monuments that reflect America’s proud history and heritage.
During the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, some extremists straightforwardly destroyed various historical statues. Numerous monuments, including the one of Spanish missionary Junípero Serra and statues of influential figures like Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington, faced removal due to official decisions.
Christopher Columbus, known for his four voyages under the Spanish flag, became a particular target, drawing significant ire from iconoclasts that year.
In Baltimore, on July 4, 2020, a group of masked individuals toppled the Columbus statue, which had been dedicated in 1984 by then-Mayor William Donald Schaefer and President Ronald Reagan. This act of vandalism went largely unaddressed by city officials.
As the statue was lifted and subsequently dumped into the harbor to cheers from the crowd, it coincided with President Trump’s executive order aimed at safeguarding such monuments from vandalism. The president noted then that the extremists’ targets reflected a profound ignorance of history and a reckless disdain for anything honoring the past.
A Call to Preserve History
Not everyone was eager to see history erased, though.
Tillman Hemsley, a painter, sculptor, and fisherman, organized a diving team to recover the fragments of the statue and transport them to his art studio. His son, Will, subsequently created a replica standing 13 feet tall from scans of the recovered pieces.
The New York Times reported that the project received $30,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities, intended for restoring damaged historical statues and generating new works to reignite interest in American history as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026.
Bill Martin, an Italian-American businessman, has also been actively involved in these efforts, raising over $100,000 for recovery and reconstruction alongside his associates.
John Pica Jr., president of the Federation of Italian American Organizations, which owned the original Columbus statue and backed its reconstruction, captured the recent developments, stating that officials in Baltimore had reached out to the Trump administration when public placement of the replica was declined.
Basil Russo, president of the Italian American Major Association Presidents Conference, remarked that when the replica couldn’t be put in public spaces, they contacted the Trump administration to discuss its placement.
Russo emphasized that for many Italian Americans, Columbus statues symbolize pride and cultural identity, helping immigrants navigate through prejudice while fostering unity in their new lives.
Working together with the Coalition of Italian American Organizations, COPOMIAO donated the statue to the White House.
This Sunday, the statue was brought to the White House grounds by Tillman and Will Hemsley, among others, where it was positioned beside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
In a letter, COPOMIAO expressed gratitude for the U.S. government’s acceptance of this “beautiful statue of Christopher Columbus,” highlighting its significance being placed on White House grounds.
The president remarked that the statue symbolizes courage, adventure, and the greater aspirations of the human spirit while celebrating the pride of the Italian-American community.
In statements, White House Press Secretary Davis Engle confirmed that “In this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero,” ensuring that this honor would be preserved for future generations.
Tillman Hemsley described the statue’s installation as not only successful but deeply satisfying.
