The bust of the leader of the racist organization Ku Klux Klan and General of the Confederate troops Nathan Bedford Forrest will be removed from the Capitol of the American state of Tennessee. This decision was made by a historical commission created by the state authorities, reports Axios.
The monument will be transferred to the museum and provided with explanatory information. It is reported that this is the first time that the state has decided to remove any monument protected by the Tennessee Cultural Heritage Act.
The local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) previously supported the relocation of the monument. They said that this is a step towards ensuring that “the history that we remember and celebrate in our public spaces reflects respect for the dignity of every citizen of the state.”
Discussion of this step was initiated by the governor of the state, Republican Bill Lee, in July last year. Then, amid protests for racial justice after the death of black George Floyd during his arrest, in many places in the United States, monuments deemed “racist” were demolished or moved.
Among others, a monument to the main ruler of the Russian colonies in North America, Alexander Baranov, was moved to the museum. The Alaskan authorities believed that Baranov was guilty of oppressing the rights of indigenous peoples and his statue hurt the feelings of their descendants.