Launched in 2017, a petition proposes to replace a statue of Christopher Columbus, erected in Saint Paul, near Minneapolis, with another representing the singer Prince, a native of Minnesota and, above all, representative of the black community. This request has collected more than 10,000 signatures, knowing an acceleration in the number of signatories since the death of George Floyd during a police arrest.
For the signatories, Christopher Columbus does not represent the values of Minnesota. It is “a man who murdered, raped and enslaved blacks and natives of the Americas», Explain his detractors. They want the monument, shot down by a dozen demonstrators a fortnight ago, to be replaced by one of the emblematic figures of American song and symbol of an entire generation, Prince.
Born June 7, 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the artist was very attached to this state where he lived much of his life. He was a source of inspiration, a symbol of openness to others but also someone involved in the development of the city. A man that some Minnesotans wish to highlight “rather than glorifying a man who wanted to exterminate black and indigenous peoples, we should honor members of our community whose leadership we find inspiring».
Prince’s legacy is all the more relevant with recent events, especially with his title Baltimore. In this song written in collaboration with artist Eryn Allen Kane, the singer evokes the fate of blacks killed by police. The chorus, sung, reminds us that the cause of Black Lives Matter is not new: “If there ain’t no justice, then there ain’t no peace». «If there is no justice, then there is no peace.»
Since the death of George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement has grown and statues of personalities deemed racist have been shot or degraded. A method that continues to divide.
–
