Marker vandalized
Photo Courtesy Town of Rolesville
The George Taylor Memorial stood by the gazebo of the Rolesville Main Street Park for just over three months and then disappeared for a time in December 2024 until January 2025.
The Town of Rolesville issued a press release in January 2025 about it having been vandalized in December 2024: https://www.rolesvillenc.gov/news/rolesville-police-investigate-vandalism-george-taylor-memorial-main-street-park
Several local media outlets picked up the vandalism story:
ABC News, January 17, 2025: Historical marker honoring lynching victim vandalized months after
CBS News, January 17, 2025: Rolesville park memorial to lynching victim vandalized
Apparently, a vehicle hit the pole, and the sign—though not damaged—went down. The Town of Rolesville replaced the damaged pole and added more security features to protect it, while the police continue investigating the vandalism. Town officials have reinstalled the marker, and security cameras have been added in the surrounding area.
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When the Wake County Community Remembrance Coalition, in conjunction with the Equal Justice Initiative and the Town of Rolesville, celebrated the unveiling of the Memorial in September 2024, I wondered if something like this would happen sooner or later. The marker was erected to remind the community of the truth of a brutal lynching that occurred near Rolesville in 1918 and that had been erased from our collective memories, especially in the dominant culture. We thought it might evoke strong feelings within the community.
Some people may prefer that this story remain completely forgotten. They may be worried about a bad reputation for the town or a negative impact on property values. Those who have witnessed racial terror might not want to remember. The marker or any reminder of racism might feel like an assault on the goodness of white people. And some would argue that anything that causes uncomfortable feelings would create more division, as opposed to bringing unity.
The reality is that most, if not all, of the community—the victims, perpetrators, and opportunistic bystanders—were traumatized by the lynchings, and their experiences continue to impact our generation. As long as horrific history like this remains hidden, strong emotions like anger, shame, and hate will linger just under the surface. When we barely recognize these feelings, there is little chance for the community to heal.
We must share the truth and have honest, heart-to-heart conversations about our feelings. Such conversations are for healing and reconciliation of the community rather than vilifying or demonizing individuals. It is an opportunity to let go of the difficult feelings that trigger us and to cultivate forgiveness and love within and between us.
Both the town of Rolesville and Wake County have grown significantly since the time of George Taylor’s lynching, and there are many transplants—myself included—who don’t know about the lynching of George Taylor. But all of us can learn from his story which is part of the larger American and world history of racial oppression. The placement of the marker is the first step in this much-needed healing process.
-Yuri Yamamoto for the Wake County Community Remembrance Coalition georgetaylor1918@gmail.com