House Of Representatives Votes On Bill To Remove Confederate Statues From The Capitol

The House of Representatives voted yes on a bill that included the removal of confederate statues from the Capitol.

One of the statues being removed is a bust of Chief Justice Roger B. Taney that resides in the Old Supreme Court Chamber. He was the reason the Dread Scott decision, which ruled that Black people were not allowed to be citizens, became real.

In addition to the bust of Taney, statues of Charles Aycock, James Paul Clarke and John C Calhoun will be removed as well. These men were for white supremacy and voted against the abolition of slavery.

There are 12 statues in the Capitol collection. The bill requires each state that put them there remove them and replace them with up to two new ones.

Representative Karen Bass, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus celebrated the passing of the bill, saying:

“The main honor for Mr. Lewis, to me, is to get a signature on the Voting Rights Act. But this is also a way to honor his legacy because what he fought for every day is the exact opposite of the symbols. Personally, as a Black lawmaker, the presence of these statues represent an acceptance of white supremacy and racism.”

Source:
Politico