Confederate statue to be reinstalled in DC, National Park Service says
WASHINGTON - The National Park Service (NPS) announced Monday that it will restore and reinstall the bronze statue of Albert Pike, which was toppled and vandalized during the June 2020 protests in downtown Washington, D.C. But Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton is fighting back, saying a "statue honoring a racist and a traitor has no place on the streets of D.C."
Protesters topple, burn Albert Pike statue in DC
Protesters in the District tore down and burned a statue of Confederate General Albert Pike Friday night.
The other side:
Norton said she will reintroduce a bill to permanently remove the statue and authorize its removal to a museum or "similar entity."
"I've long believed Confederate statues should be placed in museums as historical artifacts, not remain in parks and locations that imply honor," Norton said. "The decision to honor Albert Pike by reinstalling the Pike statue is as odd and indefensible as it is morally objectionable. Pike served dishonorably. He took up arms against the United States, misappropriated funds, and was ultimately captured and imprisoned by his own troops. He resigned in disgrace after committing a war crime and dishonoring even his own Confederate military service. Even those who want Confederate statues to remain standing would have to justify awarding Pike any honor, considering his history."
The backstory:
The statue, originally authorized by Congress in 1898 and dedicated in 1901, honors Pike’s contributions to Freemasonry, including his 32 years as Sovereign Grand Commander of the Ancient Rite of Scottish Freemasonry. It has remained in secure storage since its removal and is undergoing restoration by the NPS Historic Preservation Training Center.
The restoration is part of federal efforts to comply with historic preservation law and President Donald Trump's recent executive orders aimed at "beautifying the nation’s capital" and "restoring truth and sanity to American history," the agency said.
Site preparations to repair the statue’s damaged masonry base will begin soon, with crews addressing broken stone, mortar joints, and mounting elements. The NPS expects the restoration and reinstallation to be completed by October 2025.