Statue of John Brown Gordon facts for kids
John Brown Gordon statue (2005)
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| Coordinates | 33°44′59″N 84°23′18″W / 33.74972°N 84.38833°W |
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| Location | Georgia State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia |
| Designer | Solon Borglum Alexander Campbell Bruce (pedestal) |
| Builder | McNeel Marble Works (pedestal) |
| Type | Equestrian statue |
| Material | Bronze |
| Dedicated to | John Brown Gordon |
The John Brown Gordon statue is a large monument located at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. This monument is an equestrian statue, meaning it shows a person riding a horse. It honors John Brown Gordon, who was a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. After the war, he became a politician in Georgia.
The statue was designed by Solon Borglum and was officially revealed on May 25, 1907, with a big celebration. Recently, the statue has become a topic of debate. This is because of Gordon's views on race and his connections to the Confederacy. Some people are now asking for the statue to be removed.
Contents
History of the Statue
How the Statue Was Created
John Brown Gordon was a well-known general for the Confederate side during the American Civil War. After the war, he served as a Senator from Georgia and as Governor of Georgia. He was also recognized as a leader of the Ku Klux Klan in Georgia and supported the practice of slavery.
After Gordon passed away on January 9, 1904, leaders in Atlanta started planning a monument to honor him. On January 19, 1904, a meeting was held at the Georgia State Capitol. Groups like the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the United Confederate Veterans attended. At this meeting, Clement A. Evans suggested creating a statue for Gordon.
The John B. Gordon Monument Association was formed to raise money for the statue. William Lowndes Calhoun was its president. They raised a lot of money, but they still needed $25,000 from the state government to finish the project. Solon Borglum was chosen to design the equestrian statue of Gordon. The base, or pedestal, for the statue was designed by Alexander Campbell Bruce and made by the McNeel Marble Works.
The statue was placed on the grounds of the Georgia State Capitol. It is the only equestrian statue in Atlanta. It was officially dedicated on May 25, 1907. Clement A. Evans gave the main speech at the event. During the ceremony, Governor Joseph M. Terrell and another speaker suggested adding more monuments to the Capitol grounds. They wanted statues for Robert E. Lee, James Longstreet, and the "common soldier." However, these plans did not happen due to money issues. Many people came to see the statue unveiled. Reports from that time say a choir sang "Dixie" and the crowd cheered loudly. This event happened less than a year after the Atlanta race riot.
Calls for the Statue's Removal
Recently, the statue has faced criticism because of Gordon's views on race. After the Charleston church shooting in 2015, a state senator suggested a law. This law would stop the official recognition of Confederate symbols, including statues like Gordon's. Around the same time, historian Kenneth W. Noe spoke to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He said that the Gordon statue and others on the Capitol grounds represent the idea of the Lost Cause of the Confederacy. This idea tries to make the Confederacy seem heroic. In 2019, the Georgia government passed a law. This law prevents the removal of Confederate monuments and memorials.
During the George Floyd protests in 2020, many people called for the statue to be removed. A hashtag on Twitter, #TEARDOWNGORDON, became very popular. On June 8, Bob Trammell, a leader in the Georgia House of Representatives, wrote a letter to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. He asked the governor to remove the statue. Trammell wrote that the statue's connection to hate in Georgia was "overwhelming." He also said its presence was "divisive and offensive." Protests about the statue and others led to a barrier being put up around the Capitol grounds. On June 11, a protester was arrested for writing "tear down" on the monument with chalk.
After these events, 44 of Gordon's descendants sent an open letter to Governor Kemp. They also asked for the statue to be removed from the Capitol grounds. They stated that the statue's main purpose was to celebrate and create myths about the white supremacists of the Confederacy.
Statue Design
The monument is made up of a bronze statue of Gordon on horseback. It sits on a pedestal that has his last name carved into it. The horse shown is Marye, who was Gordon's warhorse during the Civil War. Gordon is wearing his Confederate uniform, but he is shown as an older man.
Images for kids
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Bas-relief depicting the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
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Informational plaque
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Bas-relief showing portrait of Gordon
See also
In Spanish: Estatua ecuestre de John Brown Gordon para niños
