#BuryTheBust (TN)

This is the full presentation I attended last night to discuss the removal of the Nathan Bedford Forrest Confederate bust from the TN State Capitol to a museum with context as a "cautionary tale" of our American depravity, to be kept in check for future generations- as TSU Professor of African American and Public History Lea William's so eloquently articulated as the only way forward: Facebook Live

Will you consider sending an email to the historical commission by the end of this weekend (Sunday, August 30, 2020) in solidarity with this effort to pressure the change of the convoluted, ways the TN state representatives and Historical Commission uphold white supremacy here in the Volunteer State (TN)? This was part of his history that bust memorializes in our Capitol: 

This is a nationwide-failing to move Confederate monuments to places more suitable with the full context of these Confederate leaders'/soldiers' brutal atrocities upholding white supremacy during and after the Civil War-rather than the "Lost Cause heroism" narratives being perpetuated in America, still? In fact, this is record of an account of sadism done by troops led by Forrest, below: 

This particular bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest sits within the Capitol & used to be the meeting place for the KKK, after it was placed there in 1978 (101 years after his death from diabetes in 1877). 

 

This is an immediate, direct action we can all take for full narratives to be told with context in TN/our nation. This is not a bust of an older, supposedly later reformed man who found religion & supposed empathy to speak for abolition in Memphis, where he may have been trying to escape imprisonment for war crimes & as a traitor-speaking to former slaves about voting equality (source). This bust glorifies him in his full Confederate General regalia that was a symbol of hate & inevitable discrimination or massacre to anyone fighting against his forces of white supremacy during the Civil War & after when he was named the 1st Grand Wizard of the KKK, that he later denied membership to (source)!

He tried to be successful with the RR after the war, but had questionable business practices and went into debt, bankrupting the company (source). He also ran a prison work farm (closely akin to slavery, after the war) with prisoners tending corn/ cotton, paying the county only 10 cents a day for the workers. He and his wife "...lived in a log cabin they had salvaged from his plantation" on "President's Island" in Memphis (source)

There is another groteque statue of him on public property along i-65 in TN-that shows the face of intimidation and terror many probably witnessed on the battle field right before they died at his hand or his orders. It was vandalized with pink paint by protestors in 2017 (again over the bust at the capitol), but owner Bill Dorris won't remove it or clean it since he wants more attention drawn to its honor: "They've been trying to figure out how to cover it up," Dorris said, alluding to attempts by private citizens and government officials to conceal the equestrian Forrest statue erected in 1998. "I do think they've chose a real good color."  

Here is more historical context regarding Nathan Bedford Forrest, if interested.

Finally, this is the actual form/link where you email the Tennessee Historical Commission to express your desire for the Capitol bust's removal. It has an autofill to save you time. However, here is the link to my email, if interested!

Thank you for your consideration.