Heritage Versus Hate: Assessing Opinions in the Debate over Confederate Monuments and Memorials

Abstract

Objective This study evaluates factors that might explain southerners’ opinions toward Confederate monuments. Method We conduct a series of multivariate analyses of opinions toward Confederate monuments based on a poll of 789 respondents who live in the American South. Results The majority of southerners surveyed want to leave Confederate monuments where they are, place a marker next to them for historical context, or place them in a museum. Southerners who express high levels of racial resentment are more likely to want to leave monuments where they are, without additional context. Southern identity has no effect on opinions toward Confederate monuments. Conclusions Southerners are divided in their opinion on symbols of the Confederacy. Racial resentment explains much more of opinions on Confederate monuments than southern identity, suggesting that “hate” rather than “heritage” is the primary driver of opinions on these symbols of the South's Confederate legacy.

Reexamining Confederate symbols displayed on flags and monuments in public spaces: Two fallacies in the heritage versus hate debate

“…In short, these studies test public opinion without weighing in on the substantive merits of each argument (Brown 2015; Cooper et al. 2021; Lees 2021; Leib 1995; Woliver, Ledford, and Dolan 2001).…”

“…As well-meaning as these debates have been, they presuppose an equivalency between the heritage and hate schools of thought that represents a false dichotomy. In short, these studies test public opinion without weighing in on the substantive merits of each argument (Brown 2015;Cooper et al 2021;Lees 2021;Leib 1995;Woliver, Ledford, and Dolan 2001).…”

Partisanship and Divided Perceptions of the American and British Flags

“…Owing to the uniqueness of each symbol's history and its relationship with different groups, there may or may not be partisan division. For instance, confederate memorials in the US were predominately erected in counties with higher levels of lynching, and racial resentment predicted support for continuing to display such monuments (Cooper et al, 2021;Henderson et al, 2021). Given Democrats' support for progressive social issues, members of the Democratic and Republican parties may diverge in how much they perceive the confederate memorials as a symbol of racism.…”