The Confederate Memorial located within Arlington National Cemetery, considered one of America's most revered resting places, is set to be removed, prompting a debate on its fate, BBC reports.
The statue, crafted by renowned Jewish sculptor Moses Jacob Ezekiel, has stood at the cemetery since 1914, commemorating those who fought for the slave-holding southern states during the US Civil War. The decision to remove the statue is part of a wider movement challenging the remembrance of the Confederacy in the United States.
Historian Judith Ezekiel, a distant relative of the sculptor, was inspired to act after witnessing the violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. Concerned by the statue's glorification of the Confederacy and its portrayal of African Americans, she penned a public letter alongside other family members, advocating for the memorial's removal from Arlington National Cemetery.
Following the murder of George Floyd, the US Congress established the Naming Commission to reassess monuments and names honoring the Confederacy. In 2022, the commission recommended the removal of the Confederate memorial in Arlington, with only its granite base remaining to avoid disturbing surrounding graves. The decision has sparked controversy, leading to a lawsuit against the US Department of Defense by those opposing the statue's removal.
The logistical challenge of removing the 32-foot-tall granite and bronze statue is compounded by the question of its future placement. While some monuments have been relocated to museums or Confederate cemeteries, many remain in storage. The Confederate memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, if removed, would be the first war memorial to be taken down from the site.
A public consultation, scheduled for the autumn of 2023, aims to determine the future of the memorial after its removal. However, groups such as Defend Arlington seek legal measures to halt the statue's removal before the January 1, 2024 deadline set by the Department of Defense. The controversy surrounding the Confederate memorial reflects broader discussions on how the United States confronts its complex historical legacy.
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