Arlington, Va — Arlington National Cemetery is poised to dismantle its Confederate Memorial next week. This measure, triggered by the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, has ignited controversy, particularly drawing opposition from some members of Congress. It should be noted that the statue advocates for Peace.
Despite impassioned pleas from 43 congressmen urging the Pentagon to reconsider, Arlington National Cemetery has stood firm in its commitment to removing the statue, also known as the Reconciliation Monument. Erected in 1914, the monument depicts a bronze woman atop a 32-foot pedestal, holding symbols of peace, including a laurel wreath, plow stock, and pruning hook, accompanied by a biblical inscription advocating harmony.
With the removal scheduled for completion by December 22, safety fencing has been strategically placed around the memorial to shield the surrounding landscape, graves, and headstones. Virginia's Governor Glenn Youngkin openly opposes the decision and expresses intentions to relocate the monument to the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park.
The impetus for removal originated from an independent commission in 2022, as part of its final report on renaming military bases and eradicating items commemorating the Confederacy. Consequently, a congressional mandate has been issued, stipulating the removal of all Confederate memorials by January 1, 2024.
The Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery has been a focal point of controversy due to its inclusion of contentious elements, notably the depiction of a black woman as "Mammy" and a slave following his owner to war. Representative Andrew Clyde and a coalition of House Republicans articulated their stance in a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, arguing that the monument symbolizes reconciliation and national unity rather than glorifying the Confederacy.
Arlington National Cemetery has assured that only the bronze elements of the memorial will be relocated, with the granite base and foundation remaining in place to prevent disruption to surrounding graves. The removal process adheres to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Public engagement has been integral to compliance, with opportunities for the public to provide input through meetings and comment collection.
The cemetery successfully concluded NEPA and NHPA processes on December 16, 2023, and is now poised to proceed with the removal of the bronze elements, in accordance with the congressional mandate. This development follows the military's earlier renaming of North Carolina's Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty in the year, a strategic move aimed at eliminating any reference to Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg, a slave owner, dating back to the base's establishment in 1918.
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