Oliver Willis, Share Blue, May 30, 2017

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh is considering a plan to remove Confederate monuments littered around the city, echoing the work of New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. Both mayors are Democrats.

Pugh told the Baltimore Sun that the city wants to remove the structures, which elevate the pro-slavery Confederacy in a diverse city. She added, “We will take a closer look at how we go about following in the footsteps of New Orleans.”

The monuments include the “Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument,” the “Confederate Women’s Monument,” and a monument honoring Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.

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In New Orleans, Mayor Mitch Landrieu recently removed four monuments that honored Confederates. In a widely praised speech, Landrieu noted, “The monuments that we took down were meant to rebrand the history of our city and the ideals of a defeated Confederacy.”

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In St. Louis, Mayor Lyda Krewson recently called for the immediate removal of a towering monument to Forest Park. Similar discussions are taking place in other cities throughout the south.

Baltimore appears ready to join the movement to do its part in removing these blights on the country and history. Hopefully, others will follow.