Atlanta

Georgia Congressman supports move to replace Confederate statue in U.S. Capitol with one of MLK

By WSBTV.com News Staff

March on Washington - 1963 (FILES) US civil rights leader Martin Luther KIng (C) waves to supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial 28 August 1963 on the Mall in Washington DC (Washington Monument in background) during the "March on Washington". 28 August marks the 40th anniversary of the famous "I Have a Dream" speech, which is credited with mobilizing supporters of desegregation and prompted the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Martin Luther King was assassinated on 04 April 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. James Earl Ray confessed to shooting King and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. AFP PHOTO/FILES (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images) (AFP)

By WSBTV.com News Staff

ATLANTA — U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk says he will support a resolution to replace a statue of Alexander H. Stephens with one of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the U.S. Capitol building.

The resolution was introduced in the Georgia Legislature by state Rep. Scot Turner. 

Stephens had served as the vice president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865, and later as the 50th Governor of Georgia from 1882 until his death in 1883.

“The resolution calls for the creation of a National Statuary Hall Collection Replacement Committee, to be comprised of eight members chosen by the Governor. The committee is tasked with decisions such as, who will sculpt the statue, management of private funds raised for the statue, and relocation of the Alexander H. Stephens statue,” Loudermilk’s office said in a news release Thursday. 

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“You cannot discuss Georgia’s history or our nation’s journey for freedom and liberty without mentioning the Civil Rights movement or Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Reverend King’s impact in America’s history is well storied; and, his Georgia roots are something many Georgians, like myself, are very proud of. Inspired by his Christian upbringing and beliefs, Reverend King inspired millions through his unwavering determination, peaceful protests, and willingness to have difficult conversations with those who disagreed with him,” Loudermilk said.

The National Statuary Hall Collection at the U.S. Capitol allows each state to display two statues in the U.S. Capitol complex. Since 2000, Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska and Ohio have each replaced one of their original statues, and North Carolina has recently discussed replacing one of theirs with the late evangelist, Rev. Billy Graham.

“Reverend King’s commitment to individual liberties aligns our state’s history with the principles on which this nation was founded, which are the God-given rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” Loudermilk said. 

READ the resolution HERE. 

City of Rome debates future of their Confederate monuments The monument in question is a statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest. Many of the people who live in Rome consider him a hero and the man who saved Rome. Others only consider him as the wizard of the KKK and a slave owner and trader.

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