Robert E. Lee Monument (New Orleans, Louisiana) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Robert E. Lee Monument
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The monument in 2015
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 Location in East New Orleans
Location in Louisiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | Lee Circle (900–1000 blocks St. Charles Avenue), New Orleans, Louisiana |
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| Built | 1884 |
| Built by | Roy, John |
| Sculptor | Alexander Doyle |
| NRHP reference No. | 91000254 |
| Added to NRHP | March 19, 1991 |
The Robert E. Lee Monument was a large statue in New Orleans, Louisiana. It honored Confederate General Robert E. Lee. A famous sculptor named Alexander Doyle created it. The statue was taken down on May 19, 2017. It was moved to a secret place. The monument was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. It was also called one of New Orleans' "11 important statues" in 2011.
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History of the Robert E. Lee Monument
People started raising money for the statue after General Lee died in 1870. The Robert E. Lee Monument Association collected $36,400 by 1876. This was enough money to build the statue.
New York sculptor Alexander Doyle was chosen to create the brass statue. It was put in place in 1884. The stone base was designed by John Ray. The monument was officially opened in 1884. This happened at Tivoli Circle, which is now called Lee Circle.
Many important people were there for the opening. These included former Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Two of General Lee's daughters also attended. Confederate General P. G. T. Beauregard was present too.
About the Statue's Design
The statue of General Lee was 16 feet 6 inches tall. It stood on a 60-foot tall column. Inside the column was a staircase. The statue faced north. People often said this was so Lee could always look toward his old military opponents.
In 1953, the statue was lifted from its column. This was done to repair the monument's base. The statue was put back in place the next year.
Protests at the Monument
On January 19, 1972, a protest happened at the monument. This was General Lee's birthday. A man named Addison Roswell Thompson and his friend Rene LaCoste were there. They wore special robes and placed a Confederate flag at the monument.
A group of Black Panthers protested against them. Police arrived quickly to stop any serious trouble.
Why the Monument Was Removed
On June 24, 2015, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu decided to remove the statue. He also wanted to rename Lee Circle. The mayor said a talk with jazz musician Wynton Marsalis helped him make this choice.
Two city groups agreed that four Confederate monuments should be removed. These included the Lee statue. The others were statues of Jefferson Davis and P.G.T. Beauregard. An obelisk for the Battle of Liberty Place was also on the list.
Reasons for Removal
In December 2015, Wynton Marsalis explained his reasons. He wrote in The Times-Picayune newspaper. He asked what Robert E. Lee did to deserve such a high honor in New Orleans.
Marsalis said Lee fought to keep people enslaved. He also said Lee never visited Louisiana. However, records show Lee did visit New Orleans several times. He was there in 1846, 1848, 1860, and 1861. He stayed at Jackson Barracks.
Legal Challenges to Removal
On December 17, 2015, the New Orleans City Council voted to move the four statues. Groups who wanted to keep the statues filed a lawsuit. They wanted to stop the city from removing them.
A contractor hired to remove the statues quit his job. He and his family received threats. His expensive car was also destroyed in a fire.
In March 2016, a state senator tried to pass a law. This law would stop local governments from removing Confederate monuments. But the bill was rejected by a committee.
Court Decisions
On March 25, 2016, a court stopped the city from removing the monuments. This was a temporary order. The court wanted to hear more arguments.
However, on March 6, 2017, the court changed its decision. It said the city could go ahead with removing the monuments. The court found that the city owned the monuments. It also said that removing them would not cause lasting harm to the groups who sued.
Dismantling the Statue
On May 18, 2017, the city announced the Lee statue would be removed the next day. On May 19, 2017, work crews spent all day on the task. Just after 6 p.m., the statue was finally taken off its column. A crane lowered it onto a truck. It was then taken to storage.
While the statue was being removed, Mayor Mitch Landrieu gave a speech. He talked about the history of the monuments. He also explained why they were being removed.
