Walking through McCorkle Place, one of the several beautiful quads on campus, you might expect to see some trees and maybe a statue here or there. But instead, smack dab in the middle of the quad, you can’t help but notice an unusual memorial made up of a short, yet large marble table, supported by over 100 brass figurines of African American slaves, and surrounded by five stubby marble seats.
What you are stumbling across is one of the most popular pieces of art on campus. Dubbed “Unsung Founders, Bound and Free,” this is a memorial that has definitely earned its distinctive reputation through its controversial suggestions about slavery.
At first glance, you feel immediately drawn to the struggle of the 100 little men acting as the base of the table. You see that some of them have shoes, while others are just barefoot; and some wear shirts, while others have only bare backs. The meaning of this memorial becomes clear when you read the simple, yet evocative sentence carved about the perimeter of the immense marble tabletop. It reads, “The Class of 2002 honors the University’s unsung founders, the people of color bond and free, who helped build the Carolina that we cherish today.”
While this special memorial gets attention for its remarkable, yet pretty strange appearance, what makes this memorial a significant and indispensible addition to UNC campus art is what it implies about the history of this university. Whether it is being used as a functional table to do homework, or rather just as a breeding ground for deep contemplation, this specific piece of art reminds and educates students and visitors alike about the struggle of African American slaves and their role in our university’s history.
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