The city of Atlanta is adding plaques to several Civil War monuments to contextualize the statues in light of increased opposition to Confederate memorabilia.
The Atlanta City Council approved the plaques in May, and the Atlanta History Center paid $11,000 to have the panels made, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The panels will be placed at four monuments and markers around the city, including the “Peace Monument,” the “Lion of Atlanta” statue, the “Confederate Obelisk,” and the “Peachtree Battle” marker.
“This city has chosen not to stay silent about the monuments in our midst,” History Center president and CEO Sheffield Hale said. “We’re going to tell the truth.”
The panels focus on the South’s struggle with slavery and the unequal treatment of black people during the Civil War and in its aftermath.
Atlanta is the first city in the United States to add such panels to Civil War monuments in a state that bars local governments from removing historical monuments.
“We’ve balanced this history with context that will allow the public to understand our collective journey,” Atlanta City Council member Natalyn Archibong said. “We’re not rewriting history, we’re giving it context.”
The debate over Civil War monuments has split many state and local governments as politicians argue whether Confederate statues glorify slavery in America or if removing such monuments overlooks the positive sacrifices of past generations.
“Heroes are not people that are flawless,” said Walter D. Kennedy, chief of heritage operations for the Sons of Confederate Veterans, which has resisted efforts to remove confederate monuments. “We look at our history and we point to the positive things in their life.”
The plaques are an attempt by Atlanta City Council members to address both sides of the debate by recognizing the history of Georgia’s place in the Confederacy without tearing down the historical monuments.
