Nathan Bedford Forrest statue in Health Sciences Park
The Memphis City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Wednesday calling for the immediate removal of the city’s two Confederate statues of Nathan Bedford Forrest in Health Sciences Park and of Jefferson Davis in Memphis Park.
After a month of delay, the final vote came during a continuation of Tuesday’s council meeting.
Removing the statues has been a growing source of contention for some Memphians, a rallying point for activists, and a recurring topic of conversation for the city council.
Now, the council has given the city full authority to immediate take the statues down to sell or relocate.
In October, the Tennessee Historical Commission (THC) denied the city’s waiver request to remove and relocate the Forrest statue, and early last week the city filed a petition with the Davidson County Chancery Court to appeal that decision.
The administrative law court is set to decide on January 16 if Memphis needs a waiver from the THC to remove that statue and the one of Davis.
This story will be updated as more details become available.