The American city of Charlottesville yesterday, in addition to two images of controversial generals, also immediately removed a tribute to explorers Lewis and Clark. The city council voted unanimously to do so.
The city had already planned to release equestrian statues of Generals Lee and Jackson to deletebecause they had fought to preserve slavery in the American Civil War. Because the rigging could be completed early, the mayor immediately decided to determine the fate of a third statue and convened the city council.
Lewis and Clark, at the request of President Jefferson, mapped the western continent of the Americas between 1804 and 1806, an area covered by the Louisiana Purchase was taken over from France. Since Lewis was born near Charlottesville, the statue was placed there in 1919.
Sacagawea
In recent years, the bronze statue had been discredited, as the Shoshone guide of the two white men was depicted kneeling at their feet. This Sacagawea had just played an indispensable role in guiding the expedition through uncharted territory.
“I think it just needs to be melted down,” Rose Ann Abrahamson, a descendant of Sacagawea, said yesterday during the council meeting. “It is totally offensive and should be destroyed. But it can also be used to better educate the public.”
Dead in protests
Plans to remove the images of Lee and Jackson led to fierce confrontations between supporters and opponents four years ago. One person was killed when a car rammed into a woman who was protesting against the images. President Trump’s response to her death sparked further outrage as he said “both sides” were to blame for the escalation.
All three images have since been moved to storage, pending a final decision on what to do with them. The local Lewis and Clark Museum has already requested permission to display the statue.
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