Commentary from Zann Nelson, Founder of Righting the Record
Commentary from Zann Nelson, Founder of Righting the Record
The Courtyard Park & U.S. Civil War Memorial Project is about telling a fuller story of Culpeper.
It is also about creating a place where our community can come together around our shared history—even when that history is complicated.
For too long, important chapters of Culpeper’s story have received little public recognition. Among them are the service and sacrifice of Culpeper’s Union soldiers, including the men who served in the United States Colored Troops.
Through years of research, we have worked to recover their names and their stories.
As I have often said:
“When we know their names, it is incumbent upon us to say their names.”
This project is not about removing history. Nor is it about replacing one story with another.
It is about broadening the story.
It is about providing context, recognizing those who have been overlooked, and allowing the many parts of Culpeper’s history to stand together in the same public space.
Our vision is to transform the courthouse courtyard into a place of unification, commemoration, education, and reflection.
The existing Confederate monument will remain. A new memorial will recognize the Culpeper men who fought for the United States during the Civil War.
Interpretive signage will add context. Thoughtful landscaping, accessible pathways, seating, and gathering areas will create a welcoming place for residents and visitors alike—a place where future generations can encounter the past, ask questions, and learn.
History should not be used to divide us.
It should invite us to look more closely, listen more carefully, and understand more fully.
Righting the Record believes that recognizing the complexity of our history—and giving previously unheard voices their rightful place within it—can help move Culpeper toward greater understanding and, ultimately, reconciliation.
