A landmark moment is approaching as the Confederate Memorial in Section 16 of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, is slated for removal by the week’s end. This move is in response to recent legislation passed by Congress and reflects broader initiatives to dismantle symbols associated with slavery and Confederate leaders.
In 2021, Congress enacted a law mandating the Department of Defense to assess and remove any “names, symbols, displays, monuments, or paraphernalia” commemorating the Confederacy. The Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, designed by sculptor Moses Ezekiel and approved by Congress in 1914, is among the monuments targeted for removal.
A report generated by a commission formed in response to the legislation characterizes Arlington’s Confederate Memorial as presenting a “mythologized vision of the Confederacy, including highly sanitized depictions of slavery.” The report specifically highlights an inscription that perpetuates the “Lost Cause” myth, romanticizing the pre-Civil War South while downplaying the horrors of slavery.
Historian Leslie Rowland from the University of Maryland explained that the United Daughters of the Confederacy, which played a significant role in raising funds for the memorial, aimed to vindicate Confederate soldiers by promoting a sanitized version of the pre-Civil War South.
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The removal process, which will conclude by December 22, involves taking away the bronze pieces of the memorial while leaving the granite base intact to prevent disturbance to surrounding graves, according to Arlington National Cemetery. Despite these plans, the removal has faced opposition from some Republican leaders, with over 40 members of Congress calling for a halt to the process.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has also advocated for displaying the statue at a Civil War museum operated by the Virginia Military Institute. The controversy surrounding the removal underscores the ongoing debate over how to reckon with historical symbols and their complex legacies.
