Memphis moves past a painful period this week, removing confederate monuments including one that paid tribute to Ku Klux Klan leader Nathan Bedford Forrest.
STATUES CONTROVERSY: One day after private crews took down Confederate statues and markers in two Memphis parks, one side claimed a long-fought victory, while the other side promised a long legal battle. https://t.co/alL7yVdm4l pic.twitter.com/q4AacM0Ivy
— Local 24 News (@LocalMemphis) December 22, 2017
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said, “It’s important to know why we’re here: The Forrest statue was placed in 1904, as Jim Crow segregation laws were enacted. The Davis statue was placed in 1964, as the Civil Rights Movement changed our country. The statues no longer represent who we are as a modern, diverse city with momentum. As I told the Tennessee Historical Commission in October, our community wants to reserve places of reverence for those we honor.”
Tami Sawyer was behind the group leading the charge to get the monuments removed, “Take ‘Em Down 901.”
Unanimous vote by city council to remove Forrest and Jefferson Davis and all confederate memorabilia.
— Tami Sawyer (@tamisawyer) December 20, 2017
Raw reaction from @tamisawyer after the city removed the Nathan Bedford Forrest Statue in Health Sciences Park. Sawyer leading this movement and fighting for this to happen before we commemorate 50 years since the assassination of MLK in April. @3onyourside pic.twitter.com/Re3XzTawja
— Kristen Holloway (@KHolloway_WREG3) December 21, 2017
Mayor Strickland’s full statement on the removal can be found here.