‘Racist’ statue of subjugated American Indian on way to removal from Civic Center

Pioneer Monument on Fulton St on Monday, August 21, 2017 in San Francisco, Calif. Pioneer Monument on Fulton St on Monday, August 21, 2017 in San Francisco, Calif. Photo: Amy Osborne, Special To The Chronicle Photo: Amy Osborne, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 55 Caption Close ‘Racist’ statue of subjugated American Indian on way to removal from Civic Center 1 / 55 Back to Gallery

Civic Center statue that depicts a conquering vaquero and a missionary standing over a fallen and nearly naked American Indian man is a step closer to being removed, after a unanimous decision Wednesday by the San Francisco Historic Preservation Commission.

The city Arts Commission had already agreed, also unanimously, to remove the “Early Days” sculpture from its pedestal at the base of the Pioneer Monument just east of City Hall. But the plan needed the preservation commission’s sign-off because it’s located in a historic district. The Arts Commission is expected to make a final decision in March or April.

Critics say the deeply controversial sculpture is offensive because hundreds of thousands of American Indians lost their lives as California was being settled by newcomers.

“I’m so excited,” said Randy Burns after the Historic Preservation Commission’s vote. Burns, a member of the Northern Paiute Tribe, said he’s been lobbying to get the sculpture taken down for years and that he finally feels “some relief” now that its removal seems assured.

The Arts Commission had originally proposed removing the sculpture last year after a demonstration in Charlottesville, Va., at the site of a Confederate statue. That rally, which resulted in the death of a counterprotestor, started a national discussion about removing monuments that, to many, glorify racial or cultural oppression.

The Civic Center sculpture reflects stereotypes of American Indians that are “universally” regarded as “disrespectful, misleading and racist,” said Allison Cummings, the Arts Commission’s senior registrar for civic art, addressing the Historic Preservation Commission.

“It uplifts a white supremacist narrative and contributes to the erasure of Native American history,” Malaika Clarke told the commission during public comment. “This statue literally looks down upon the native. The conquerors seem justified and victorious,” she said. “If history is written by the victors, then we want a rewrite.

The sculpture is one of five bronze statues that make up the Pioneer Monument, an 800-ton shrine to the settling of California. Planted between the Main Library and the Asian Art Museum, the monument is crowned by a statue of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and war, and surrounded by four sculptures commemorating landmarks of California’s early history, including the “Early Days” piece.

The monument was unveiled in 1894. It was located in front of the old City Hall, at the intersection of Hyde and Grove streets, which was leveled in the 1906 earthquake. The monument sat in isolation after the current City Hall was built nearby and was moved to its current location in 1993, at which time critics raised concerns about the “Early Days” sculpture. To try to placate those concerns, the city installed a plaque in 1996 that describes the devastating impact of European colonization on native people.

It appeared at times during Wednesday’s meeting that the Historic Preservation Commission was divided over what to do about the sculpture. Commissioners Richard Johns and Jonathan Pearlman each offered lengthy soliloquies about the dangers of eliminating historical relics — even offensive ones — which can serve as warnings for those who might otherwise forget the terrible events of the past. Leaving the “Early Days” pedestal empty, was a concerning prospect, Pearlman said.

“We have to confront the bad things that have happened in our history. And if we don’t confront them, if we try to hide them, then I think we will not be as vigilant,” said Johns. “We’re a historical preservation commission. We’re not a historical revision commission,” he said. “It may be difficult to confront the past, but I think we have to.”

But both were ultimately satisfied with a proposal to add another plaque to the Pioneer Monument: one that will detail why it was removed. “Early Days” will be put in permanent storage after removal.