The statue of Christopher Columbus that for many years stood on a stone plinth in Wooster Square Park was a source of Italian-American pride, an affront to Native Americans and others, and a flashpoint for conflicts over fallen heroes of the past.
Today, hopefully, a new era of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect will begin with the official dedication of a new monument in Wooster Square.
The sculpture depicts a family of four Italian-American immigrants as they arrive in what they hope will be the Promised Land. But Branford sculptor Marc-Anthony Massaro, who has Wooster Square roots, says the sculpture’s symbolism extends to all immigrants to our city.
“I wanted to create something that would heal that tension,” he told me. “Yes, I did this because of my grandparents, who happened to have been Italian immigrants. But I wanted this sculpture to be for everyone. I wanted it to represent the foundation that all these immigrants that came here set in place for all of us to build upon.”
As a journalist and documentary filmmaker, I have no official standing in this matter. I am neither Italian American nor Native American, but my work as a filmmaker and the fact that I was formerly a resident of Wooster Square has given me a strong point of view on the matter. (I produced the documentary The Village: Life in New Haven’s Little Italy with my creative partner Scott N. Amore, and made The Monument, the short documentary embedded in this Op-Ed.)
My plea: It’s time for healing.
A bit of history for those who don’t know it: Local Italian-American leaders erected a statue of Christopher Columbus in Wooster Square Park in 1892 with the approval of city leaders. At the time, immigrants from southern Italy, many of whom had come here to escape poverty and discrimination, also faced discrimination in the United States. According to author and historian Neil Proto, local Italian-American leaders hoped that by celebrating Christopher Columbus, who was then a national hero, they could help cement their standing as citizens.
Columbus’ reputation has diminished dramatically since the late 19th century. Most notably, historian Howard Zinn in his book A People’s History of the United States, presented evidence that Columbus had enslaved and slaughtered Native Americans.
Columbus still has his defenders, but, in New Haven, pressures to remove the Columbus statue boiled over in the tumult that followed the murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by Minneapolis police. Across America, protesters toppled statues honoring slaver holders and confederate traitors.
In that context, people in New Haven began protesting around the Columbus statue and throwing red paint on it. A young Wooster Square resident petitioned city leaders to remove the statue.
Behind the scenes, some civic leaders in the Wooster Square neighborhood concluded it was time for the statue to be removed — to avoid violence and injury.
This is the backdrop to June 24, 2020, when crews arrived in Wooster Square to remove the Columbus statue. Two dozen Italian-Americans protested, but hundreds of people — many of them African-Americans — gathered to celebrate. An event that was traumatic for some was cathartic for others.
It’s important to acknowledge the efforts and the fortitude of members of a committee appointed by Mayor Elicker to come up with an alternative for honoring the city’s Italian-American heritage. They did a tremendous amount of work to gather opinions, review proposals, make a selection, and get the job done. They also withstood withering criticism from some people who could not accept the decision to remove the Columbus statue.
Hopefully, over time, tempers will cool and friendships that were lost will be restored. Or, at least, people will forgive each other.
One last point: New Haven did this right. Other communities across the country were torn apart in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder. New Haven was wounded, but by acting preemptively to remove the Columbus statue, we avoided the worst outcomes and emerged as a national model for addressing social grievances in rational and fair ways.
Do monuments matter? Yes, they do. We now have a monument that appropriately honors our city’s Italian-American heritage — and, as a bonus, the work and sacrifice of all immigrants.