人兽性交

As some states continue to perpetuate听听mythology with observances throughout April, which is sometimes recognized as Confederate Heritage Month, it鈥檚 worth looking at the monuments and memorials to the Confederacy that fill public spaces and celebrate the myth year-round.

Confederate memorials in all forms 鈥� the battle flag, monuments, names of schools, government buildings, streets and highways 鈥� are living symbols of white supremacy despite the false 鈥淟ost Cause鈥� narrative casting the Confederacy as something noble. Over 2,000 Confederate symbols currently litter public spaces, glorifying one of the most cruel and inhumane chapters of U.S. history, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center鈥檚听Whose Heritage?听project documenting these symbols.

As long as Confederate iconography remains on public land, our country鈥檚 dehumanization of Black people continues. The 人兽性交 has been proud to听work with activists seeking to remove these symbols. Here are some strategies from our guide to help activists.

Research the symbol

Learn the symbol鈥檚 history and why the community chose to create this monument or memorial. Find out when it was first displayed. Many Confederate symbols began appearing after the U.S. Supreme Court鈥檚 school desegregation ruling in 1954 and into the 1960s to protest the Civil Rights Movement. Build your case against the symbol by pairing our听Whose Heritage?听report with information from reputable online resources, the library and state archives.

For example, when Duval County, Florida,听renamed six public schools honoring Confederate leaders, the community rallied behind activists鈥� research, which showed four of those names were chosen to protest school desegregation. The notion that promoting white superiority and Black inferiority would further dehumanize Black students resonated with parents and allies.

Raise awareness

Policymakers may be hesitant to remove the symbol if they believe there is no public demand or that it will anger constituents. Demonstrating public support for removal can overcome this obstacle. Identify and network with community groups and leaders who share your interest. Write an听听or letter to the editor. Invite the press to your group鈥檚 meeting to learn more. Generate interest via social media, online petitions, host a rally or educational event. Reimagine听the cause through the work of听social justice artists who can amplify your message.

Hold elected officials accountable

Lawmakers who refuse to remove Confederate memorials from public property are on the听wrong side of history. You may have to appeal to听听to see results. Using your research, write lawmakers and ask for meetings to discuss the issue. Consistently attend meetings where decisions are made and sign up to provide public comment to raise awareness at hearings. Encourage allies to do the same. Advocates should rotate appeals at public hearings to avoid burnout.

Understand that change won鈥檛 happen overnight

Advocating against Confederate symbols requires听time and patience. It鈥檚 encouraging that since 2015, the 人兽性交 has documented the removal of more than 480 such symbols across the country. However, removing the more than 2,000 remaining symbols won鈥檛 happen overnight.

And too often it has taken tragic, racist violence claiming lives to spark even a momentary reevaluation of Confederate symbols in public spaces. Consider, for example, the lives lost in听Charleston, South Carolina, to a racist attack on a church in 2015, the deadly Unite the Right rally in 2017 and the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and听George Floyd in 2020. Clearly, self-care is a necessity for activists and communities as they strive to remove these symbols.

Together, we must persevere as we challenge these monuments to white supremacy. And together, we can reclaim whose heritage is celebrated.

Kimberly Allen is a senior media strategist for the 人兽性交.

In a photo from Sept. 8, 2021, workers in Richmond, Virginia, prepare a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee for removal. The statue was erected in 1890. (Credit: Ken Cedeno/UPI/Alamy Live News)