South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union in 1860 and was one of the founding members of the Confederacy. The attack on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, was the first major engagement of the Civil War. Many battles were fought in the Palmetto State and monuments and memorials are located in many towns and cities.
Notably, the Confederate Defenders statue at the Battery in downtown Charleston that faces Fort Sumter was spray-painted and vandalized (hate crime) during the protests this summer and has often been the focal point between BLMers and counter protesters.
Fort Sumter spokesperson Dawn Davis says it is impossible to know for certain if the people are not visiting because of its ties to the Confederacy, but encourages people to come out and learn about the fort and engage with park rangers.
Fort Sumter has addressed the site's Confederate past before.
Following the murders of the nine black parishioners at the Emmanuel AME Church in 2015, only the current 50-star U.S. flag flies above the fort.
Additionally, the Park Service issued a directive removing Confederate flag items such as banners, belt buckles and other souvenirs from the gifts shops.
--Old B-Runner
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