Memphis Greenspace facts for kids

Memphis Greenspace Inc. is a special group that started in October 2017 in Memphis, Tennessee. This group is a "non-profit corporation," which means it's not trying to make money. Instead, it works to help the community.

Memphis Greenspace was created because of a big decision made by the City Council of Memphis and Shelby County. They all agreed to take down statues of two Confederate Generals, Robert E. Lee and Nathan Bedford Forrest, from public parks. These generals were leaders during the American Civil War.

However, a law called the Tennessee Heritage Protection Act made it hard to remove the statues. This law protects historical items. The city needed permission from the Tennessee Historical Commission, but the Commission said no.

So, Memphis Greenspace found another way. They bought Health Sciences Park (which used to be called Forrest Park) and Fourth Bluff Park. These were the parks where the two statues stood. Memphis Greenspace bought each park for US$1,000 (equivalent to $1,194 in 2022). As soon as they owned the parks, they quickly removed the statues. A rule of the sale was that the land must always stay as parks.

What is Memphis Greenspace?

Memphis Greenspace is a non-profit group. This means they use any money they get to help their cause, not to pay owners or shareholders. Their main goal is to improve public spaces in Memphis.

Why Was It Started?

The group was formed because the city wanted to remove certain statues. These statues honored leaders from the Confederacy, a group of states that separated from the United United States during the Civil War. Many people felt these statues did not represent modern values.

The Law and the Statues

A state law called the Tennessee Heritage Protection Act made it difficult to move historical items. This law meant the city needed special permission. When the state commission said no, Memphis Greenspace stepped in. They found a legal way to remove the statues by buying the land.

Who Leads Memphis Greenspace?

The president of Memphis Greenspace is Van Turner. He is also a Shelby County Commissioner. This means he helps make decisions for Shelby County. Mr. Turner has said that Memphis Greenspace plans to buy even more parks in the future.

Legal Challenges

In 2019, some people tried to stop Memphis Greenspace in court. They did not agree with the removal of the statues. However, the Tennessee Court of Appeals looked at the case and decided to dismiss it. This meant Memphis Greenspace could continue its work.

Moving the Remains

In 2020, Memphis Greenspace agreed to another important step. The remains of Nathan Bedford Forrest and his wife, Anne, were buried under his statue in Health Science Park. Memphis Greenspace agreed to have their remains moved to a different location.