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Witness Urges Support for Statewide COVID‑19 Memorial, Citing Scale of Loss in Massachusetts
Summary
Vincent Lawrence Dixon urged the committee to support S.2162 to create a Massachusetts COVID‑19 memorial, citing state death and case totals and arguing memorials serve educational and commemorative purposes.
Historian Vincent Lawrence Dixon told the committee he supports Senate Bill S.2162 to create a Massachusetts COVID‑19 memorial to commemorate those lost and to provide educational context about the pandemic. Dixon said memorials convey honor and education and cited Commonwealth totals as of May 3, 2023: 2,037,071 confirmed cases and 22,602 confirmed deaths. "I strongly urge a favorable recommendation for this proposal so that while the COVID 19 matter is still a crisis that is with us... we might still learn from it," Dixon said. Discussion only: committee members thanked Dixon for his testimony; no committee action was taken. Why it matters: a state memorial would create a permanent site of remembrance and a public education resource about the pandemic’s impact in Massachusetts. The committee received testimony and did not vote at the hearing.
