ROCKY MOUNT, Va. (Romero Report) — A monument to honor the United States Colored Troops who fought in the Civil War, specifically the seventy men from Franklin County, will soon go up.

The town of Rocky Mount and the Franklin County Veterans’ Memorial Commission, in conjunction with the Franklin County National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), approved the creation and placement.

The monument aims to highlight a significant yet often overlooked part of the community’s history, according to a news release from the town.

Only one other monument for the U.S. Colored Troops exists and is located in Franklin County, Tennessee.

This project, initiated by a committee of the NAACP and funded by a $285,000 grant from Monuments Across Appalachian Virginia (MAAV), will cover all costs associated with the new monument, the release said.

MAAV, supported by the Mellon Foundation and housed at Virginia Tech, focuses on amplifying stories of historically marginalized communities.

Rocky Mount Mayor C. Holland Perdue, III emphasized the human significance of the monument.

“I am not a veteran, and I would not pretend to know anything about combat or serving. What I do know is that I respect everyone who has served to keep us safe. This is not a political issue—it is a human issue,” he stated.

Town officials said they were approached by the NAACP earlier this year regarding the monument’s placement.

The town council unanimously agreed that Veterans’ Memorial Park would be the ideal location, the release said.

Following a closed session during their June 20 meeting, the veterans’ memorial commission approved the placement of the monument by a 6-5 vote.

The following day, the chair, Gary Solomon, the vice chair, Reverend Eddie Hawks, and Olyn Peters resigned from the commission.

All three had voted in opposition.

Sculptor Paul DiPasquale, known for his public sculptures in Virginia, including the Arthur Ashe Monument in Richmond and King Neptune in Virginia Beach, has been commissioned to design the monument.

The NAACP committee will collaborate with Virginia Tech professors to gather community feedback for the monument’s design.

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