John Lewis statue to be placed where Confederate monument once stood
CNN – A statue of the late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis will now keep watch over a site in his former Georgia congressional district which once held a monument to the Confederacy.
Sculptor Basil Watson has been selected to design and create a monument to be placed at the Historic Decatur Courthouse in the district Lewis served for 17 consecutive terms, the DeKalb County Commemorative Task Force announced Thursday.
The task force was formed to honor Lewis’ legacy and “provide a symbol of inclusivity, equality, and justice” where the Confederate monument stood for more than 100 years.
“A monument that represented bigotry, division and hatred will be replaced, by a monument to a man who loved, who cherished this nation and brought all people of all colors together,” DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said, noting the removal of the confederate monument in 2020 was “one of the proudest moments” of his tenure.
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