The statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis that once called the Capitol Rotunda home will soon find a new location in Fairview, following a vote by the Historic Properties Advisory Commission on Friday.
The removal of the statue has been the focus of some debate recently, and Governor Andy Beshear called for a special meeting of the Advisory Commission to address it. Commission member Cathy Laverne Thomas put forth the motion to relocate the statue to the historical site in Fairview—where the Jefferson Davis monument is located—saying it no longer has a place in the state capitol.
Member Jon Park says while it should have probably never been put there to begin with, he worries what removing it will mean for the future.
In the end, the commission voted 11 to 1 to remove the statue and relocate it to Fairview. They further discussed that soon they will need to decide what, or who, will replace it in the capitol—there was a motion to removal all current statues from the building and not replace them, but as it was not in the public meeting notice, it was not taken up.
In a statement, Governor Beshear says, “It was past time for this vote and for this action. But what it will mean is that we get a little closer to truly being Team Kentucky, that every child who walks into this Capitol feels welcome, and none of them have to look at a symbol and a statue that stands for the enslavement of their ancestors. Today is a move toward showing that everybody is welcome in this building and that our government should work for the betterment of every single Kentuckian.”