Confederate statues 'have no place' in Louisville, panel tells Fischer

Phillip M. Bailey | Courier Journal

Show Caption Hide Caption Locals voice opinions of Castleman statue at public hearing Louisville citizens voiced their opinions at the first of a handful of public hearings held by the Louisville Commission on Public Art to review the city's catalog of public art seen by some as honoring bigotry, racism and/or slavery.

Public displays honoring the Confederacy are unwelcome in Louisville and do not represent what the city looks like today, according to an art panel formed by Mayor Greg Fischer.

The seven-member advisory committee, which was created in the wake of debate around controversial statues, released its final report on Saturday. It calls on the mayor to make a timely decision on what to do about pieces that are the "focus of community concern."

"Celebrations of the Confederate States of America are not congruent with Louisville’s identity as an inclusive city, and have no place in the public sphere," the report said.

Fischer is expected to review the committee's report and consider next steps, according to a news release. No timeline was given on when those actions will be taken, however.

A spokesman for the mayor's office did not immediately respond to an email or text message Sunday requesting comment.

The group held six public meetings over four months where it received hundreds of comments from residents across the city.

But the nine-page report punts on advising Fischer what to do with the John B. Castleman statue in the Cherokee Triangle, which has been vandalized with paint three times since last year's national debate on Confederate monuments first erupted.

More: A controversial statue: 5 things to know about John B. Castleman

Instead it offers general guidelines and questions for city officials to consider when making those decisions.

"Monuments can mean different things to different people, and the city must be careful when it validates some interpretations over others," the report said. "Any symbol can potentially serve as a rallying point. But the city must not maintain statues that serve as convincing and validating symbols for racist or bigoted ideology."

The 15-foot bronze monument of Castleman atop a horse was a focal point for anti-racist activists in the weeks after the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, which was at least in part a response to that city's planned removal of a statue honoring Robert E. Lee, a noted Confederate general.

More: Charlottesville driver faces federal hate crime charges

More: Castleman group: Louisville art should reflect 'us' not 'some of us'

Another statue honoring former newspaper editor George D. Prentice was also splashed with orange paint this year outside the Louisville library's main branch in downtown. Many blame his anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic writings for fomenting the 1855 Bloody Monday riots in Louisville in which mobs attacked Catholic neighborhoods.

A 1910 article in the Courier Journal describes Castleman's friends and admirers seeking to erect an "equestrian statue of him in one of the parks of the city," as a way to commemorate the "great service given by the general in the establishment of the Louisville park system."

Supporters of keeping the statue, including some of Castleman's descendants, have said those who who want it removed should view him through a historical lens, placing him in the context of his era.

The plaque attached to the monument, which was constructed in 1913, recognizes him as a noble patriot, gallant soldier and accomplished gentleman, without mentioning city parks.

Those who want the monument torn down point to Castleman's service in the Confederate army, where he served under John Hunt Morgan, the notorious leader of Morgan's Raiders. As part of that unit, he was captured during a raid on Union territory. Upon his death, Castleman's casket was draped with an American flag and a Confederate flag, per his wishes, according to a 1918 report in the Courier Journal.

Fischer's panel said monuments to historical figures by themselves are not history lessons. Instead, they often represent government sanctioned "versions of history" that reveal parts and hide others.

But the panel calls for caution when removing any statue, saying the decision should go through the same "rigorous" process as the city would use for installing a new piece.

"Removing a longstanding public fixture, no matter how contested, is not a small matter," the report said. "However, removal is the best option when it is not possible to reconcile the monument’s message with the values of the city."

Reporter Phillip M. Bailey can be reached at 502-582-4475 or pbailey@courierjournal.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/philb.

Who was on the panel?

>> Tricia Burke, president of Office Environment Company, a family-owned and operated business for more than 100 years. She is affiliated with numerous boards and organizations including Greater Louisville Inc., Louisville Parks Foundation, Leadership Louisville, Metro United Way, National Association of Women Business Owners and the YMCA of Greater Louisville.

>> Carolle Jones Clay, senior vice president and managing director of community Relations at Republic Bank. She recently served on the Louisville Metro Historic Preservation Task Force, which focused on developing systems and best practices to honor our community heritage, and previously served on the Louisville Metro Landmarks Commission.

>> Dr. Dewey M. Clayton, a professor of political science at the University of Louisville with teaching and research areas including race, law, and politics, specifically political discourse from the modern day civil rights movement. He earned his doctorate from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1995, and his academic focus areas include civil rights, equity and inclusivity. He currently serves as an affiliate for the University of Louisville Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research.

>> Ashley Haynes, project and change manager at Yum Brands. Her professional experiences include managing complex projects with multiple stakeholder groups, communications, and change management. She holds a master’s degree in public Administration and a bachelor's degree in anthropology, specializing in cultural anthropology. She has volunteered with organizations such as Kentucky Derby Museum, The Council on Developmental Disabilities, Kentucky College of Art and Design, and the University of Louisville’s MPA Advisory Council.

>> Dr. Thomas Owen, an archivist and historian at the University of Louisville with expertise in the history of Louisville and Kentucky, and politics during the Civil War. He has been an archivist and professor at the University of Louisville for over 40 years, and served as a member of the Louisville Metro Council from 2003 through 2016, and previously on the Board of Alderman from 1990 to 1998.

>> Dr. Chris Reitz, an assistant professor of Critical and Curatorial Studies and Gallery Director at the Hite Art Institute at University of Louisville. He currently serves on the Louisville Metro Commission on Public Art. Reitz has worked as a project manager at Public Art Fund in New York and as an independent curator.

>> Cathy Shannon, operates E&S Gallery, Inc., an African American fine art gallery which has grown into an award winning gallery with a reputation of working with clients to build art collections, and specializes in original and limited edition fine art. She currently serves on the Louisville Metro Commission on Public Art and is an active community business leader.