To the editor:

I read with some fascination about the brouhaha regarding the monument to slavery being proposed by a group apparently headed by Stephan Brigidi. May I suggest that we already have several monuments to slavery in Bristol.

The first one is located in the North Burial Ground. It is a small plot dedicated to the Bristol men who were veterans of the Civil War. There are 175 graves there containing the remains of these Civil War veterans. This piece of ground is easily visible from Hope Street. Each grave is marked with a headstone and a small American Flag. In the center of all these graves is a 20-foot high obelisk with a statue of a Union soldier on top. A bronze plaque at the base of the obelisk describes the purpose of this monument with the words "In memory of the veterans of the war of the rebellion."

Another monument is located just outside the Veterans Memorial Garden gate. It depicts a Union soldier wielding a rifle in combat mode and a sailor wielding a sword and shield in the same manner. It is a bronze monument and is about 15 feet high with the same dedicatory words, "In memory of the veterans of the Civil War".

To me, these monuments depict the role Bristol played in slavery in America. These monuments represent the courageous effort of these veterans who fought in a war to abolish slavery. They laid their lives on the line for that very purpose. And they were all volunteers. No draft existed at that time.

Now as for monuments to Bristol's role in the slave trade, we have Linden Place, the residence of Captain D'Wolf who was deeply involved in that terrible business. Then there is the building where DeWolf Tavern is located, a colossal granite monument to the slave trade. Throw in the Bristol Preservation building on Court Street and we have a total of five monuments — two memorializing Bristol's part in freeing the slaves and at least three representing Bristol's role in the slave trade itself. On top of all this we have regularly scheduled walking tours that speak to this issue.

So I say maybe we can calm ourselves and not get too aggrieved over a proposal that, in my opinion, might be unnecessary. But if the proposed monument project should go forward then I suggest the monument be placed at any of these locations just mentioned.

Manuel Menezes
Lt. Colonel USMC(ret)
64 Highland Road