For decades, the block of granite, perched on a hill and under a tree, went ignored.

But the monument, engraved with a Confederate flag, memorializes what is believed to be the largest event to ever hit Charlotte – surpassing even the 2012 Democratic National Convention.

The memorial was unveiled at a June 1929 gathering that threw Charlotte into the national spotlight. It served to honor the “valor of the Confederate soldier” and capped a four-day celebration that serenaded soldiers with a large parade.

Today, the Charlotte marker is back in the spotlight – this time, raising questions about preserving and explaining symbols of the Confederacy.

The reunion monument remained in obscurity until last month, when nine black parishioners were shot to death in a historic black church in Charleston. Photos of the alleged killer displaying a Confederate battle flag surfaced, sparking a public outcry against display of the Confederate flag.