Motorists driving north on the I-75/85 split in Atlanta are likely to notice a billboard calling for the removal of Confederate monuments, reports WSB-TV..
The billboard has in bold letters: “Remove the Confederate monument from our Capitol.”
Channel 2′s Chris Jose spoke to the Southern Poverty Law Center about the new billboard. They said it’s all part of a campaign that started in April during Confederate Heritage Month and it was important to roll out the billboard in Atlanta this week because we’re approaching Fourth of July.
“We want as many people as possible to see and join community activists all across the South, and in Georgia in particular, in seeking to remove these symbols of the Confederacy from public space,” said Lecia Brooks with the SPLC. “If we hope to make any real end roads into dismantling foundations of White supremacy across this country, then removing Confederate symbols from public spaces is a good first step.”
While the social justice movement has gained steam, tension has bubbled up with those who think the monument should stay. Supporters say it’s part of history and their heritage.
“My solution would be to put something to offset it. Next to it. In other words, we should keep it all, but tell it all, too,” Stone Mountain Park visitor Ray Johnson said.
“It’s history. Learn from our history, but leave our history,” park visitor June Johnson said.
