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San Antonio's Confederate Monument Controversy Reflects A Nationwide Debate

Joey Palacios
/
Texas Public Radio
One side's view: Demonstrators protesting the removal of the Confederate memorial in Travis Park on Saturday, August 12, 2017.

rally to save the Confederate monument in Travis Park was met by counterprotesters in support of removing the memorial last Saturday.  

The mostly peaceful events in San Antonio coincided with violent demonstrations the same day in Charlottesville, Virginia stemming from a similar debate about the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

Part of downtown's Travis Park since its dedication in 1899, the 40-foot-tall memorial to Confederate soldiers withstood resistance during initial construction as well as calls for removal in 2015.

The recent rally and local interest is spurred by the submission of a council consideration request by District 1representative Roberto Treviño andDistrict 2 representative William "Cruz" Shaw to relocate the monument. 

"Going forward, community involvement will be critical to developing a thoughtful and appropriate relocation plan," Treviño said in a statement. "Please continue to bring forth your opinions and ideas. We are listening.”

What is the history behind Confederate monuments in San Antonio? Can a compromise be found for the statue in Travis Park?

How do disputes over similar issues nationwide affect the future of identity in the United States?

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Jan Ross Piedad Sakian is TPR’s News Operations Producer. In this role, she develops strategy on collaborative and digital initiatives for the station. Since 2016, Jan Ross has served in a coordinating capacity for TPR’s state and national partners, including The Texas Newsroom.