Tennessee state Senate Democrats are urging officials to “finish the job” to remove the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest from the Tennessee State Capitol.
Friday marks the first day the statue can legally be removed, following a 120-day waiting period from the Tennessee Historical Commission vote to remove the bust in March. Friday also marks the one-year anniversary of the vote by the Tennessee Capitol Commission to recommend its removal.
“Our state capitol should be a place that celebrates the values and causes that unite us as Tennesseans,” said Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis). “It was never a place for Nathan Bedford Forrest and now the day has come for us to finally remove his bust from these hallowed halls — and it should be done without delay.”
Sen. Brenda Gilmore (D-Nashville), who has called for removing the bust for decades in the legislature, said state law has been followed and it’s time for the bust to go.
“I have dedicated years of my life to racial justice and one fact I have learned time and time again: To overcome inequality, we must confront our history,” Sen. Gilmore said. “No figure in the modern history of Tennessee better encapsulates this lesson than the bust of KKK grand wizard Nathan Bedford Forrest.
“If we cannot remove a memorial to an enslaver from our state capitol, how can we begin to make progress on equitable school funding, fair policing, and adequate healthcare for all people?” she said. “Removing this bust today does not usher in racial equality, but it shows progress can be made. And the work of justice will continue.”