A committee reporting to Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser has come up with a list of dozens of historical monuments, schools, parks, government buildings and other structures that it recommends making changes to because of the historical namesakes’ connection to slavery or racism — even the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial.
Among the historical figures named on the list are former presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and Woodrow Wilson. The list also includes Founding Fathers Benjamin Franklin and George Mason, inventor Alexander Graham Bell and composer of the national anthem Francis Scott Key.
Jefferson Field, named for Thomas Jefferson, is among assets the committee recommends “using existing District government processes” to rename. So is Franklin School, named for Benjamin Franklin.
It recommends the Federal government “remove, relocate, or contextualize” several very famous tourist attractions, including the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial and the Benjamin Franklin Statue.
Some were baffled over the report. “Hey D.C.—they’re not your monuments to rename or remove,” tweeted Arkansas GOP Sen. Tom Cotton. “They’re America’s monuments.” – READ MORE
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