Current:Home > StocksCrowd on hand for unveiling of John Lewis statue at spot where Confederate monument once stood-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Crowd on hand for unveiling of John Lewis statue at spot where Confederate monument once stood
View Date:2024-12-23 19:58:03
DECATUR, Ga. (AP) — A crowd was on hand at a city park in Georgia Saturday to witness the unveiling of a large bronze statue of the late civil rights leader and congressman John Lewis that stands in the same spot as a contentious Confederate monument that was dismantled four years ago.
The crowd that included neighbors, politicians and civil rights leaders applauded when a black veil was pulled down to reveal the the 12-foot-tall (3.7-meter-tall) statue of Lewis at Decatur’s historic square, Atlanta television station WSB-TV reported.
Lewis was known for his role at the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement and was a Democratic congressman from Georgia. He died in 2020 from pancreatic cancer.
Lewis’ statue stands in the same spot as a obelisk that was erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1908 and removed in 2020. Groups like the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights and Hate Free Decatur had been pushing for the Confederate monument to be removed since the deadly 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The monument was among those around the country that became flashpoints for protests over police brutality and racial injustice, following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis. The city of Decatur then asked a Georgia judge to order the removal of the monument, which was often vandalized and marked by graffiti, saying it had become a threat to public safety.
veryGood! (34)
Related
- Tesla Cybertruck modifications upgrade EV to a sci-fi police vehicle
- Jesse Palmer Reveals the Surprising Way The Golden Bachelor Differs From the OG Franchise
- Spain has condemned inappropriate World Cup kiss. Can it now reckon with sexism in soccer?
- U.S. citizen Paul Whelan appears in rare video inside Russian prison in clip aired by state media
- Man who stole and laundered roughly $1B in bitcoin is sentenced to 5 years in prison
- The six teams that could break through and make their first College Football Playoff
- Georgia Power customers could see monthly bills rise another $9 to pay for the Vogtle nuclear plant
- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton pursued perks beyond impeachment allegations, ex-staffers say
- Shaun White Reveals How He and Fiancée Nina Dobrev Overcome Struggles in Their Relationship
- Ford recalls nearly 42,000 F250 and F350 trucks because rear axle shaft may break
Ranking
- Tennis Channel suspends reporter after comments on Barbora Krejcikova's appearance
- Jihad Ward gives his perspective on viral confrontation with Aaron Rodgers
- 'It's blown me away': Even USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter has Messi Mania
- As back-to-school costs soar, experts provide tips to help families save
- Beyoncé's Grammy nominations in country categories aren't the first to blur genre lines
- Jada Pinkett Smith Welcomes Adorable New Member to Her and Will Smith's Family
- Judge rejects key defense for former Trump adviser Peter Navarro as trial is set for Tuesday
- Waffle House index: 5 locations shuttered as Hurricane Idalia slams Florida
Recommendation
-
Drone footage captures scope of damage, destruction from deadly Louisville explosion
-
North Korea says it simulated nuclear attacks on South Korea and rehearsed occupation of its rival
-
Trump pleads not guilty in Georgia election subversion case and says he’ll skip next week’s hearing
-
Palestinian kills 1 after ramming truck into soldiers at West Bank checkpoint and is fatally shot
-
What Just Happened to the Idea of Progress?
-
Dakota Johnson's Ditches Her Signature Brunette Hair for a Blonde Bob in New Movie
-
Brother and sister killed in shooting captured on video in front of courthouse in Puerto Rico
-
Waffle House index: 5 locations shuttered as Hurricane Idalia slams Florida