The Confederate Monument in Arlington National Cemetery is Coming Down This Week
Yesterday work crews moved into position to begin the process of removing the Confederate monument in Arlington National Cemetery, located in Section 16. Make no mistake. The removal of this particular monument is the most significant Confederate removal to date. It is certainly one of the largest monuments, but more importantly, it is the boldest expression of the Lost Cause in a public space.
Though there are moments of reconciliation that can and should be acknowledged, from the reinterment of Confederate remains to the cemetery to the dedication of the monument itself in 1914, the United Daughters of the Confederacy did not commission a reconciliationist monument. They did not refer to it as the “Reconciliation Monument.” Quite the opposite.
The monument that the UDC dedicated in Arlington was a non-apologetic celebration of the Confederacy and what the ladies wanted more than anything else was for the nation to accept that the Confederacy was right. If they embraced any notion of reconciliation, it was one that celebrated the ‘triumph’ of white supremacy after Reconstruction or to be more specific, the triumph of ‘Anglo-Saxon civilization.’
Don’t take my word for it. Read the history that the UDC commissioned, written by Hilary Herbert.
I don’t mind admitting that it’s a bit of a shock to witness this particular removal. I’ve spent a great deal of time at this particular site leading tours for teachers and students. I can’t think of a better place to interpret the Lost Cause and the broader subject of Civil War memory, but I should also point out the many looks of horror on the faces of attendees, especially people of color.
Not surprisingly, there has been a lot of hand wringing over this monument in recent years and especially over the past few weeks. You can get caught up in it if you spend too much time on social media. Misinformation is widespread and conspiracy theories abound.
The vast majority of Americans have no idea that there is a Confederate monument in Arlington and I would venture to guess that the vast majority of people who have expressed an opinion, one way or the other over whether it should be removed, did not know it existed before roughly 2020. And I suspect that very few have taken the time to visit since then or would have done so if the monument had been allowed to remain.
That’s not an argument for or against removal, but an acknowledgment that the outcry over this monument is very likely an expression of broader agendas in the ongoing culture wars rather than any emotional attachment to it.
Some people have suggested that Arlington officials should simply have allowed this controversy to pass, but this misses the point that removal was a Congressional mandate that had bi-partisan support.
The Naming Commission did its job in reviewing military assets that honor Confederate leaders and the Confederacy generally and left it up to Congress to make the ultimate decision. The commission was made up of retired military personnel. I don’t know anything about their political affiliations. Nor do I care. They did their job.
Finally, for all the talk about the desecration of graves, I think it is important to emphasize that there are no plans to disturb any remains. The large plinth or foundation will remain intact. Photographs show that Confederate graves are now decorated with Christmas wreaths, just like the other graves throughout the cemetery.
Visitors will be free to pay their respects. The removal of the monument should not detract from that experience. In fact, if you acknowledge that the monument is more about the vindication of the Confederate cause than the experience of the common soldier, one could argue that there is much less a distraction for vistors who, for whatever reason, wish to pay their respects in Section 16.
Either way, this site will likely continue to see relatively few visitors.
There has been talk of relocating the monument, but nothing has been confirmed. Arlington officials and the military should give serious thought to any transfer of ownership. I suspect that the monument will remain in storage for the foreseeable future until things quiet down. My hope is that at least part of the monument can be retained and interpreted in a museum setting, where it can be properly interpreted.
That’s about it. Hope everyone has a great week.
I wanted to pass along a comment by my 82-year-old uncle he wrote me after your first post about this. I wonder if the NPS would consider such a move? He makes an interesting point: What about issue of the burial of “traitors” next to those who fought with distinction and honor for the United States and are buried in Arlington National Cemetary, a place considered to be among the highest, most honorable places to be buried by those who fought or contributed significantly to our Nation?? Disinterment, removal, and reburial in Confederate Cemetary would be a significant cost and nuisance, but would make room for new honorific burials in a place running out of space. My father who was a Second Lt in WWI did not qualify to be buried there because he was not engaged in fighting in Europe. Perhaps a simpler solution might be to build a wall around section 16 with an opening on the Ft Myer side that is adjacent to the fort and then say this section is no longer part of Arlington National Cemetary. Allow people to visit from Ft Myer. Continue to maintain section (perhaps by a separate group) but not to place American flags on the graves. Harsh, yes but removal of statue seems to beg the issue.
A great post mark to the work you have done in this area.