NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – In the wake of protests Monday morning, Governor Haslam has shared his opinion of a bust of Confederate Army general and former KKK leader Nathan Bedford Forrest, which is house at the Tennessee State Capitol.
Haslam released the following statement Monday:
“My position on this issue has not changed – I do not believe Nathan Bedford Forrest should be one of the individuals we honor at the Capitol. The General Assembly has established a process for addressing these matters and I strongly encourage the Capitol Commission and the Historical Commission to act.”
Protesters went to the capitol Monday to demand it be removed. WKRN News 2 reports that a 2013 survey found there are 70 memorials across the state that could be classified as exclusively Confederate (according to the Tennessee Wars Commission). Of that number, 12 are found in cemeteries, 37 are in or around county courthouses, and 21 are in other public spaces.