County to Remove Monuments of Andrew Jackson

Leif Le MahieuJuly 11, 2023

A Missouri County Votes to Remove Andrew Jackson Statues Despite Previous Resident Vote

Jackson County, Missouri, named after former president Andrew Jackson, is set to remove two statues of the controversial figure. This decision comes despite county residents previously voting to keep the monuments standing.

“I remain committed in my belief that the statues of a man who owned slaves, caused thousands of Native Americans to die and never stepped foot in our County should be removed from our public facilities,”

City officials in Jackson County, Missouri, have decided to remove the statues of Andrew Jackson located outside courthouses in Independence and Kansas City. The Jackson County Legislature voted 7-1 in favor of removing the statues, overturning the previous decision to let residents vote on their fate in a ballot initiative.

“It is in the moral interest of Jackson County to immediately create separation from these moments in our nation’s history through the removal of statues or monuments associated with them so as to not accidentally bestow honor on individuals who were engaged in the genocide of indigenous groups or proponents of slavery,”

The ballot initiative held in November 2020 saw over 72% of county residents voting against the proposal to remove the statues. However, County Executive Frank White expressed his belief that the statues should be removed due to Jackson’s controversial actions.

The statues of Andrew Jackson, who played a significant role in the American victory at the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812, were located in front of the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City and the Historic Truman Courthouse in Independence.

In 2021, a plaque referencing Martin Luther King Jr. was added to the statue, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging past injustices to create a more just society.

The decision to remove the statues follows a resolution introduced by Legislator Manny Abarca, highlighting Jackson’s ties to slavery and the Trail of Tears.

The statues have been subject to vandalism in recent years, with some labeling Jackson as a racist. After their removal, the statues will be stored by the city.