Baltimore Mayor Exploring Possible Removal of Confederate Statutes

Another city is looking into the possibility of removing its city's Confederate monuments as Baltimore's mayor is exploring "following in the footsteps of New Orleans."

Mayor Catherine Pugh told the Baltimore Sun that the "city does want to remove" the monuments. She also said the city could save money by auctioning them off.

As many of us here in south Louisiana know, New Orleans recently removed three prominent Confederate statues and a monument some say heralded white supremacy.

A commission appointed by previous Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake recommended removing a monument to Marylander Roger B. Taney. He was the Supreme Court justice who wrote the Dred Scott decision which denied citizenship to African-Americans.

The commission also suggested the removal of statues of two Virginians - the Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and "Stonewall" Jackson.

Former mayor Blake instead put up signs calling them propaganda designed to falsify history and support racial intimidation.