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WASHINGTON (The Hill) — The Department of Interior has announced plans to reinstall a previously removed statue dedicated to Confederate officer Albert Pike in Washington, D.C.
According to The Washington Post, the statue will be reestablished in Judiciary Square by October, just before the United States celebrates its 250th founding anniversary. This move aligns with an initiative by President Trump, who has committed to celebrating American history in Washington as part of his “Making the District of Columbia Beautiful” executive order.
In this directive, Trump emphasized that “monuments, museums, and buildings should reflect and inspire awe and appreciation for our Nation’s strength, greatness, and heritage.”
Pike’s contributions to the country’s history fit the mold.
A Department spokesperson explained the decision in a statement to The Hill on Tuesday, citing it as part of their “commitment to the responsible stewardship of public lands and the preservation of our nation’s cultural resources.”
But in 2020, demonstrators removed the sculpture by hand following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers.
Originally installed in 1901, Pike’s 27-foot-tall bronze and marble statue was intended to commemorate his role as a Confederate brigadier general and a significant figure in Scottish Rite Freemasonry.
He was also a member of the Know Nothing Party, known for its strong anti-immigration stance.
As the Trump administration lauds the statue’s reinstalment, local leaders remain in favor of keeping Pike out of street view.
In response, Congresswoman Eleanor Norton Holmes (D-D.C.) expressed her stance to The Post, saying, “I’ve long believed Confederate statues should be placed in museums as historical artifacts, not remain in locations that imply honor. A statue honoring a racist and a traitor has no place on the streets of D.C.”
The D.C. Scottish Rite also said in 2017 the statue had become “the subject of contention and escalating controversy” and that the group would agree to its removal, per the outlet.
