Abstract:
Commemorative monuments are often planned and designed to represent a particular time and place, however, North Carolina lighthouses and the Tar Baby vs. St. Sebastian sculpture unintentionally became monuments of immense importance. The lighthouses were built for practical use to help sailors navigate the difficult North Carolina coastline, but now they are icons of state tourism. Michael Richards' sculpture, Tar Baby vs. St. Sebastian commemorates the Tuskegee Airmen, but after Richards' death during the September 11, 2001 attacks, this sculpture memorializes Richards and those who also lost their lives on 9/11.