This is a tale of two plaques, old and new.
The old plaque commemorates Greenwood, South Carolina’s fallen of World War I — segregated under “White” and “Colored” headings. The new plaque, bought with $15,000 raised by the town’s two American Legion posts — one for whites, one for coloreds — desegregates the list of fallen soldiers by simply listing them all alphabetically.
A South Carolina law passed recently to protect the South’s traditions precludes replacing the old plaque with the new one. It would take an act of the legislature to authorize it. A local resident threatened to have the mayor arrested if he removes the old plaque. Someone else helpfully suggested sticking the new plaque in a museum.
Southern spirit is alive and well in South Carolina.
