A statue of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, the first Ku Klux Klan grand wizard, was removed Tuesday from the side of a highway in Nashville, Tennessee.
Why it matters: The move to take down the 25-foot statue comes amid renewed scrutiny of Confederate memorials. Dozens of Confederate symbols have been removed, relocated or renamed since George Floyd's death last year.
- Forrest had enslaved people work on his plantations in the 19th century and was also involved in trading other humans. The statue was erected in 1998 and depicts him riding a horse.
What they're saying: "This has been a national embarrassment," State Sen. Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville) said, per the Tennessean.
- "This is great news," she added. "It's just so hurtful to people, not to mention it's heinously ugly.
Worth noting: Earlier this year, the Tennessee Historical Commission voted overwhelmingly in favor of removing a bust of Forrest from the state capitol.
