Several Dallas residents joined together to protest against a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee at a local park.
These protesters went to Lee Park hoping to urge the Dallas mayor, Mike Rawlings, to rededicate the park to famous abolitionists instead of the commanding general of the confederate army. They also want to give it a new name: Freedom Park.
White and black residents held signs that read “Black Lives Matter” along with pictures of famous historical figures, including Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth.
“He is a symbol of the enslavement of my ancestors, so when I look at the Confederacy overall, I cannot help but recall the horrific institution of slavery,” protester Dr. Safisha Hill said about General Robert E. Lee. “We can’t pretend that racism does not exist, it does. And we can't continue to embrace the symbols of racism and justify it as culture.”
In response, the Lee Park Conservancy released a statement saying they can’t do much about the park’s name or the statues found on the property, but “support open dialogue.”
It added, “Our primary mission, however, is focused on the care and conservation of the gardens, landscaping and the park's environment as well as the preservation and maintenance of Arlington Hall. This park is a treasured Dallas landmark because of its beauty and uniqueness within the Dallas Park system."
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