Michael Brooks
The University of California Santa Cruz removed a historic Catholic marker, the El Camino Real Bell, from its campus in June 2019. This came after a years-long campaign by Native American community members, including members of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, who argued that the bell glorified a period of racism in the state when Spanish missionaries dehumanized their ancestors and culture and enslaved those who converted to Christianity. The university's decision to remove the bell was made in support of efforts to be more inclusive. This incident is part of a broader trend of college campuses taking down symbols deemed racist by community members.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Marker | El Camino Real Bell |
| Type of Marker | Cast-iron bell |
| Location | University of California Santa Cruz |
| Reason for Deeming Racist | Glorified a period of time when Spanish missionaries dehumanized the ancestors and culture of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and other community members and enslaved those who converted to Christianity |
| Removal Date | 21 June 2019 |
| Future Options | Display it in a museum with the proper context or melt it down and recycle for peaceful purposes |
Explore related products
$14.5 $24.95
$12.99 $12.99
What You'll Learn
- The El Camino Real Bell was removed from the University of California Santa Cruz campus
- The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and other community members deemed the marker racist
- The marker glorified a period when Spanish missionaries dehumanized their ancestors
- The university is yet to decide the bell's fate
- The removal comes as colleges across the US take down symbols deemed racist
The El Camino Real Bell was removed from the University of California Santa Cruz campus
The El Camino Real Bell, a historic Catholic marker, was removed from the University of California Santa Cruz campus in June 2019. The bell, which was put on the campus in the 1990s, was a replica of the original bells placed along California highways in 1906. These bells were used as road markers for the historic El Camino Real, the first road to span California, connecting 21 Franciscan missions.
The decision to remove the bell came after a years-long campaign by members of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and other community members who argued that the bell glorified a period of racism and dehumanization of their ancestors by Spanish missionaries. They suggested that the only two acceptable options for the bell's future were to display it in a museum with the proper context or to melt it down and recycle it for peaceful purposes.
The university's vice chancellor for business and administrative services, Sarah Latham, stated that the removal was "in support of efforts to be more inclusive." This decision came in the context of a broader movement across college campuses to remove symbols deemed racist by community members. Earlier in 2019, for example, Notre Dame announced it would cover campus murals depicting Christopher Columbus.
The removal of the El Camino Real Bell from the University of California Santa Cruz campus sparked a debate, with some students calling it a non-issue and an attempt to feel morally superior. However, others recognized the bell as a symbol of genocide and oppression, reflecting the dark history of violence and maltreatment against Native Americans in California.
Older Catholics: Abstinence and the Lenten Season
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and other community members deemed the marker racist
The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and other community members deemed the El Camino Real Bell marker racist. The cast-iron bell was one of hundreds of displays placed across highways in California in 1906. It was named after the route connecting 21 Franciscan missions. The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and other community members felt that the bell glorified a period when Spanish missionaries dehumanized their ancestors and culture and enslaved those who converted to Christianity.
The bell was removed from the University of California Santa Cruz campus on Friday, June 21, 2019, in a ceremony conducted by UC Santa Cruz employees David Jessen and Mitch Smith. The university hasn't decided on the bell's fate, but the Amah Mutsun have suggested two options: displaying it in a museum with the proper context or melting it down and recycling the material for peaceful purposes.
The removal of the bell came after California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order apologizing to Native Americans for the state's history of "violence, maltreatment and neglect". Newsom described the early history of Catholic missions as genocide. The bell's removal also coincided with a broader movement across college campuses in the United States to take down symbols deemed racist by community members.
The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and other community members' perspective on the El Camino Real Bell highlights a shift in consciousness regarding historical symbols and the desire to address and rectify past injustices.
Being Catholic: Inherited Faith or Personal Choice?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The marker glorified a period when Spanish missionaries dehumanized their ancestors
The El Camino Real Bell, a historic Catholic marker, was removed from the University of California Santa Cruz's campus on Friday, June 21, 2019, after being deemed a racist symbol. The university took this step to be more inclusive and after a prolonged campaign by Native American community members, particularly the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, who argued that the marker glorified a period of racism in the state.
The cast-iron bell, named after the route connecting 21 Franciscan missions, was one of hundreds of displays placed across highways in California in 1906. It was put up on the campus in the 1990s and was a copy of the original bells. The bell was meant to honour the state's "Hispanic past" and "expand tourism". However, for the Amah Mutsun and many other California indigenous people, it symbolised a dark period when their ancestors were dehumanised and dominated by Spanish missionaries. This period also witnessed the enslavement of those who converted to Christianity.
The removal of the bell was part of a broader movement on college campuses across the country to take down symbols deemed racist by community members. For instance, earlier in the same year, Notre Dame decided to cover campus murals depicting Christopher Columbus, acknowledging the need to tell the story of native peoples.
The University of California Santa Cruz's decision to remove the bell was met with mixed reactions. Some supported the move towards inclusion, while others criticised it as unnecessary. The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band suggested two options for the bell's future: displaying it in a museum with proper context or melting it down and recycling the material for peaceful purposes.
The debate surrounding the El Camino Real Bell highlights the complex history of California's Spanish missions and the ongoing efforts to reconcile and address past injustices against Native Americans.
Urban Catholics: Exploring City-Based Faith Communities
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The university is yet to decide the bell's fate
The El Camino Real Bell, a historic Catholic marker, was removed from the University of California Santa Cruz's campus on Friday, June 21, 2019. The university's decision came after a years-long campaign by Native American community members, including the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, who argued that the bell glorified a period of racism, dehumanization, and enslavement of their ancestors by Spanish missionaries.
The bell, one of hundreds placed across California highways in 1906, was meant to honour the state's "Hispanic past" and "expand tourism." However, it has come to be viewed as a symbol of a dark period in California's history, particularly for its Native American population.
In a statement, Vice Chancellor of Business and Administrative Services Sarah Latham said the school moved forward with the removal "in support of efforts to be more inclusive." This decision aligns with a broader trend of colleges and universities across the country removing symbols deemed racist by community members.
As for the bell's fate, the university has not yet announced a decision. The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band has suggested two options: displaying the bell in a museum with proper context or melting it down and recycling the material for peaceful purposes. The university's choice regarding the bell's fate will be significant, as it will indicate their commitment to reconciliation and inclusion for Native Americans and other affected communities.
The removal of the El Camino Real Bell and the ongoing discussion about its fate reflect a broader reckoning with historical racism and its legacy. This process includes acknowledging past injustices, addressing present-day discrimination, and fostering an environment where all individuals and communities can feel valued and respected.
Catholic Hospitals: Life Support or Death Sentence?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The removal comes as colleges across the US take down symbols deemed racist
The El Camino Real Bell, a historic Catholic marker, was removed from the University of California Santa Cruz's campus in June 2019. The removal came after a years-long campaign by members of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and other community members who felt that the bell glorified a period of time when Spanish missionaries dehumanized their ancestors and enslaved those who converted to Christianity.
This incident is part of a broader movement among colleges across the US to remove symbols deemed racist. For example, in June 2020, the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning approved the removal of a Confederate monument from the campus of the University of Mississippi. The University of Nevada at Las Vegas also removed a statue of its Rebels team mascot, accused of honouring the Confederacy and the oppression of Native Americans.
Similarly, the University of Alabama announced the removal of plaques commemorating former students who served in the Confederate army. Princeton University approved the removal of Woodrow Wilson's name from its public policy school, and Clemson University agreed to meet demands to remove the name of John C. Calhoun, a prominent supporter of slavery, from its honours college.
These actions reflect a commitment by educational institutions to address their symbolic ties to slavery, segregation, and racism. The process of removing racist symbolism from campuses can be complex, involving input from campus leadership, boards of trustees or regents, and consideration of historical preservation laws.
Catholics and Crime: Obligation to Report?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The El Camino Real Bell.
The University of California Santa Cruz.
Native American community members, particularly those from the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, argued that the marker glorified a period of racism in the state, when Spanish missionaries dehumanized their ancestors and culture and enslaved those who converted to Christianity.
Vice Chancellor of Business and Administrative Services Sarah Latham said the school moved forward with the removal "in support of efforts to be more inclusive."
The university hasn't decided on the bell's fate, but the Amah Mutsun have suggested two options: displaying it in a museum with the proper context or melting it down and recycling the material for peaceful purposes.
