Controversial Confederate Statue Returns to Washington, D.C.
The statue of Albert Pike, a Confederate general, has once again taken its place in Judiciary Square, Washington, D.C. After being toppled and set aflame in June 2020 amid Black Lives Matter protests, the statue has been restored and reinstalled. This action follows an announcement from the National Park Service, which stated its intention to repair the statue, which it describes as having been damaged during “riots.”
Photo by Alex Brandon/AP
Erected in 1901, the statue of Pike has long stood as a point of contention in the nation’s capital, being the only monument in the city dedicated to a Confederate general. However, the statue itself omits any mention of Pike’s military involvement. Pike, a pardoned Freemason by President Andrew Johnson, has been linked by historians to the post-Civil War development of the Ku Klux Klan.
The base of the statue bears a plaque from the Freemasons, describing Pike as an “author, poet, scholar, soldier, jurist, orator, philanthropist and philosopher.”
For decades, the D.C. Council has advocated for the statue’s removal, starting their efforts back in 1992. The National Park Service, in their statement to NPR, described their restoration efforts as part of a broader federal commitment to historic preservation and beautification efforts, emphasizing compliance with preservation laws and executive orders.
Despite the restoration, the statue’s return has met with resistance. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) expressed her opposition, stating that the statue’s presence is “an affront to the mostly Black and Brown residents of the District of Columbia and offensive to members of the military who serve honorably.” Norton criticized Pike’s legacy, noting that he “took up arms against the United States, misappropriated funds, and was ultimately captured and imprisoned by his own troops,” further adding that “Confederate statues should be placed in museums as historical artifacts, not remain in parks or other locations that imply honor.”
Norton has introduced a bill aimed at the permanent removal of the Pike statue, reinforcing her stance that it stands as a symbol of “the worst of the Confederacy,” unworthy of commemoration in the nation’s capital.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
