Lawmakers in both chambers of the Mississippi Legislature are working to rid of two Confederate statues that have represented the state in Congress for nearly a century, often offering Washington, D.C. tourists a gloomy perspective on the state’s progress in civil rights.
During the opening week of the session, Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives and the Senate introduced bills that would either outright replace the statues of segregationists Jefferson Davis and James Z. George inside the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall or create a commission to offer a pair of alternatives “who bring honor to all Mississippians and reflect the demographics of the state as a whole.”
The above excerpt comes from Sen. David Blount’s bill to create the National Statuary Hall Selection Commission to study, interact with and poll the public, and make recommendations for the selection of two new Mississippians to represent the state in National Statuary Hall’s collection. If approved by both chambers and signed by Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, the commission will include nine members tasked with submitting a written proposal for replacements by Nov. 30, 2025.
The commission members would include three appointed by Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, three appointed by House Speaker Jason White, and three appointed by Reeves. Reeves’ selections would be required to serve as representation from the Mississippi Economic Council, Mississippi Arts Commission, and the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Mississippi installed statues of Jefferson Davis (left) and James Z. George (right) inside National Statuary Hall in 1931. Photos courtesy of National Statuary Hall.
“The state of Mississippi has a rich heritage in art, literature, music, and history,” a portion of the bill’s text reads. “In the spirit of unity and for the sake of displaying to our nation historic figures who bring honor to all Mississippians, taking into account the demographics of the state as a whole, the Legislature seeks to reopen consideration of the figures whose statues are to represent the State of Mississippi in the National Statuary Hall Collection.”
Drawing from the categories of art, literature,
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