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by Greg Ferguson
I’m dating myself with my choice of title. I know that. But I like Pink Floyd. I especially like "The Wall." I like the way they depict the inner walls that people erect to protect themselves from the unbearable pain of living. I really like the way they tied their symbol of inner pain and division to the real wall: the Berlin Wall. That was a wall that divided a city, and symbolically divided a nation and a world. It somehow completed the circle of meaning, that the same symbol could divide a person, a city, a nation, and a world. But we don’t just build walls. We also build bridges.
While stumbling around on the internet last summer, I came across an idea that really hooked me. It was one of those ideas that starts out quietly, settling slowly into your subconscious in the most innocuous manner. They’re the dangerous kind, because your auto-new-idea-defenses don’t get triggered until it’s too late. Like the snowflake that starts an avalanche, they seem so harmless until the ground begins to rumble. Well, this one settled into a chink in my armor and proceeded to grow into something that demands action. My first response was to research a little, talk a little, think a little. Now I’m writing a little. Maybe all this will lead me to eventually do a little also. Maybe some of you who read this will want to follow that path yourselves, and we can do a little together.
Here’s the project: I’d like to form a group to promote building a national memorial to those whose lives were shattered by slavery in the United States of America. I think it should be built in Washington, D.C., because that is the seat of the government that condoned the enslavement of human beings. I think it should be initially funded by private donations, because government funding means people are forced to support the project through taxes whether they want to or not. This should be a voluntary effort, supported only by those who want to be involved and want to give. To my knowledge, there is no organization actively promoting this idea. There are isolated individuals writing, designing, talking, but no group actively working to get it built. I’d like to organize such a group here at Northwestern of Lewis & Clark. I’m sure there are people here with enough expertise in non-profit corporations to help get the organization up and running. I’d be willing to bet there are people here who would like to be a part of this project.
Here are some ground rules, as I see them. First and perhaps most important, this is not about race. Some critics have told me this is a great idea, but it belongs to the African-American community. I disagree. Slavery is not a black problem; it’s a human problem. My concern is that by allowing racial issues to control our efforts, we’ll actually be building walls instead of helping to tear them down. As soon as we start using race-oriented words, we start cutting people out. If this is a "black issue," we imply that others have no right to be interested or involved. But we all have the ability to identify with suffering and to feel, and demonstrate, compassion. This project should be a bridge, not just another wall. Therefore, I believe that dialogues about racial inequities, while important and valid, do not belong in this project. This issue is not about race but about basic human dignity and suffering—things we all share.
Second, this is not my issue. It did not originate with me, and I certainly am not in a position to carry it forward alone. If I did manage to do it all myself, the effort would be meaningless. This project only has meaning if it comes from a large group of interested people freely giving their time and talent. That means a multitude of opinions, priorities, desires, and designs must join to make this happen. That’s how it should be. Everyone who joins in this effort will have a voice. I’m not here to lead--I’m here to get things started. I’m the snowflake. The other 260 million people out there are the avalanche.
My perception, at this early stage, is that we need a structure to work within. We need a formal organization. Once that organization is in place, the sky’s the limit. So, I’m looking for people who would like to found an organization that can spearhead a national effort in first promoting the idea, then eventually completing the design and construction of a national memorial to those who lived and died in slavery in the United States. If you’re interested, please send me an e-mail. It only takes a few to get the ball rolling. Once we have a core group of interested people, we can begin meeting and organizing. I look forward to working with you.
Greg Ferguson, ferguson@