Controversial Monuments

Historic preservation is the practice of protecting and rebuilding artifacts of significant historical value including buildings, monuments, objects, and artworks. These efforts are done in an attempt to preserve these objects of the past for future generations to come. According the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, there are eight standards for preservation. These principles are distinct from other forms of the care of historical properties including rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction. 

This section focuses on the key elements of preservation and the current consensus from preservation organizations in the wake of statue removal and destruction. 

(Image Description: Conservator, Andrew Naylor, coloring in a statue of Irish Politician, Daniel O'Connell )

Hall Conservation Ldt.

While it would appear that preservationist organizations would be unanimously against the idea of removing historical statues, many groups have changed their stance in light of recent years. For example, The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately owned organization focused on saving public buildings and monuments, expressed support for the removal of Confederate Statues in 2020. This came at the height of protests surrounding the death of George Floyd, a 46- year old black man who was murdered by a police officer while being arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit bill at a local convenience store. Floyd's death lead to widespread protests in a nation that was already critical of the treatment of black Americans by law enforcement. In an interview with the National Trust's president, Paul Edmondson, stated,

"Our response is that our goal is not to freeze places in time. We don’t want things preserved in amber. They live in our current life and current existence. Our efforts over the years have really been to manage change, to respect history and to make sure that communities reflect the history that they have.

But when there’s a particular aspect that is really a symbol of racial supremacy and has affected the African American population, I think as preservationists we can say that this is not necessarily something that needs to stay. In response to the issue about erasing history, also I think that removing these monuments does not really remove history."

Furthermore, the Society of Architectural Historians released a similar statement about Confederate monuments in 2020, citing that as interpretations of the past are further understood, so does the perpetual hurt that such objects cause. 

Listed here are organizations which have a primary focus on historical preservation.

• Advisory Council of Historic Preservation
  • This is an independent United States federal agency which promotes the preservation of historic sites. They also hold public forums for stakeholders and private citizens to discuss upcoming federal projects that would impact preservation efforts. 
• National Park Service
  • The NPS, a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Interior, is responsible for preserving natural and cultural resources in national parks. They also provide support and guidance for historic preservation efforts nationwide.
• National Trust of Historic Preservation
  • A well-known organization in the United States that works to protect and preserve historic places across the country. They hold several programs and provide funding for the care of historic places. 
• Preservation Action
  • This is a United States-based organization which focuses on advocating for preservation policies at a federal level, calling for these principles to be taken into consideration in legislation and funding. 
• The World Monuments Fund (WMF)
  • An organization which focuses on international efforts to protect heritage sites. They undertake conservation projects and advocate for the protection of historic places.

Additionally, these are projects which work to reconstruct and recontextualize monuments across the United States. 

• Monumental Women
  • This is an organization which first become with the goal of including memorials of women in Central Park. In 2020, this goal was met with the introduction of their Women’s Rights Pioneers monument, featuring figures such as Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Currently, they work on advocating for increasing the awareness and inclusion of women in public art. 
• The Monuments Project
  • This is a project proposal by the Mellon Foundation for "supporting public projects that more completely and accurately represent the multiplicity and complexity of American stories". This proposal includes a national monument audit, an expansion of the Great Wall of Los Angeles, amongst other public works across the nation.