LINCOLN — First off, two state senators explained, they’re not trying to criticize J. Sterling Morton, the founder of Arbor Day, or the famed populist William Jennings Bryan. But, the senators said, after 85 years of the same statues representing Nebraska in a hall of statues at the U.S. Capitol, it might be time for a change. With that, State Sens. Burke Harr of Omaha and Tom Brewer of Gordon presented their proposal Wednesday to replace statues of Morton and Bryan with those of two other prominent Nebraskans: Willa Cather, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “My Antonia” and “O Pioneers,” and Standing Bear, the Ponca chief whose heroic federal lawsuit led to legal recognition of Indians as human beings. Harr, a fan of Cather, said the state chose Morton and Bryan back in 1933 to represent the state in the Capitol’s National Statutory Hall. Now, he said, it’s time for Nebraska to have more diversity than two “elected … [Read more...] about Senators propose swapping Morton, Bryan statues for Cather, Standing Bear at U.S. Capitol
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Scott to sign bill putting statue of black educator in U.S. Capitol
TALLAHASSEEE Gov. Rick Scott plans to sign a bill that would lead to a statue of civil-rights leader and educator Mary McLeod Bethune replacing the likeness of a Confederate general as a representative of Florida in the U.S. Capitol. The Florida House voted 111-1 on Tuesday to support placing the statue of Bethune in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, replacing Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith. Rep. Jay Fant, R-Jacksonville, cast the only dissenting vote. A short time after the vote, Scott’s office announced he intends the sign the measure into law. Bethune, who would become the first African-American woman honored by a state in the national hall, founded what became Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach and later worked as an adviser to President Franklin Roosevelt. The Senate backed the proposal (SB 472) in a 37-0 vote on Jan. 31. Smith was born in St. Augustine but had few ties to the state as an adult. As commander of Confederate forces west of the … [Read more...] about Scott to sign bill putting statue of black educator in U.S. Capitol
Senator proposes swapping William Jennings Bryan statue for Chief Standing Bear at U.S. Capitol
LINCOLN — A western Nebraska senator says the time is right to replace a statue of famed populist William Jennings Bryan at the U.S. Capitol with one of Chief Standing Bear, whose heroic stand in court led to legal recognition of Indians as human beings. State Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, who is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, said his proposal isn't a negative statement about Bryan, a three-time presidential candidate who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and as secretary of state under President Woodrow Wilson. Instead, the proposal would update the state's display at the Capitol, which is intended to highlight Nebraska's history. Right now, the two statues representing Nebraska in the Capitol's National Statuary Hall are ones of Bryan and J. Sterling Morton, the founder of Arbor Day. Omaha Sen. Burke Harr in January introduced Legislative Bill 807 to replace the Morton statue with one of Willa Cather, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author from Red Cloud. … [Read more...] about Senator proposes swapping William Jennings Bryan statue for Chief Standing Bear at U.S. Capitol
Bethune statue to replace Confederate general in U.S. Capitol
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott plans to sign a bill that would lead to a statue of civil-rights leader and educator Mary McLeod Bethune replacing the likeness of a Confederate general as a representative of Florida in the U.S. Capitol. The Florida House voted 111-1 on Tuesday to support placing the statue of Bethune in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, replacing Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith. Rep. Jay Fant, R-Jacksonville, cast the only dissenting vote. A short time after the vote, Scott’s office announced he intends the sign the measure into law. Rep. Patrick Henry, D-Daytona Beach, who sponsored the bill, said he was “proud to be member of the House” as it was “poised to make history.” Bethune, who would become the first African-American woman honored by a state in the national hall, founded what became Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach and later worked as an adviser to President Franklin Roosevelt. Henry, who attended … [Read more...] about Bethune statue to replace Confederate general in U.S. Capitol
Bethune statute to replace Confederate general in U.S. Capitol
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott plans to sign a bill that would lead to a statue of civil-rights leader and educator Mary McLeod Bethune replacing the likeness of a Confederate general as a representative of Florida in the U.S. Capitol. The Florida House voted 111-1 on Tuesday to support placing the statue of Bethune in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, replacing Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith. Rep. Jay Fant, R-Jacksonville, cast the only dissenting vote. A short time after the vote, Scott’s office announced he intends the sign the measure into law. Rep. Patrick Henry, D-Daytona Beach, who sponsored the bill, said he was “proud to be member of the House” as it was “poised to make history.” Bethune, who would become the first African-American woman honored by a state in the national hall, founded what became Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach and later worked as an adviser to President Franklin Roosevelt. Henry, who attended … [Read more...] about Bethune statute to replace Confederate general in U.S. Capitol
Utah House passes resolution for Martha Hughes Cannon statue in U.S. Capitol
Utah State Historical Society Utah State Senator Martha Hughes Cannon is pictured. Cannon was the first woman elected to a State Senate in the United States. Related Link Utah Senate committee favors replacing Philo T. Farnsworth statue in U.S. Capitol SALT LAKE CITY — Start packing your bags Philo T. Farnsworth, because Martha Hughes Cannon might be moving in. The Utah House overwhelmingly passed a resolution Wednesday to replace Farnsworth with Hughes in National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol, where each state is allowed to display two notable people in their histories. The other Utah statue is of Brigham Young. "She is the right person to be honoring at the right time," said Rep. Becky Edwards, R-North Salt Lake, the House sponsor of SCR1. Rep. Patrice Arent, D-Millcreek, said Cannon is one of her role models and the perfect person to memorialize in the nation's Capitol. "Sending her statue back to Washington sends a clear signal to Utahns and to … [Read more...] about Utah House passes resolution for Martha Hughes Cannon statue in U.S. Capitol
Florida Senate backs black female educator’s statue for U.S. Capitol
TALLAHASSEE A statue of civil-rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune is halfway to its supporters’ goal of replacing the likeness of a Confederate general as a representative of Florida in the U.S. Capitol. The Florida Senate voted 37-0 on Wednesday to pass a measure (SB 472) to have Bethune’s statue replace Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith at the National Statuary Hall in Washington. Among those voting in support was Sen. Dennis Baxley, an Ocala Republican and descendant of a Confederate soldier who had opposed changing the statues because of concerns about “dishonoring” Smith. Baxley said his vote Wednesday was due to the manner in which bill sponsor Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, handled the proposal. That included making a change last week to require the Smith statue be acquired and displayed by the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs. “While I still have some heartburn about disrespecting Gen. Kirby Smith, just because of history that we … [Read more...] about Florida Senate backs black female educator’s statue for U.S. Capitol
Senate passes bill to place Bethune statue in U.S. Capitol
TALLAHASSEE – Mary McLeod Bethune is one step closer to the U.S. Capitol after the Florida Senate voted to place a statue of the civil rights leader and educator in the National Statuary Hall. Senators voted 37-0 on SB 472, which would replace a statue of Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith with Bethune’s statue. “Dr. Bethune’s life and values represent the best of Florida,” said Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, who sponsored the bill. “Voting for this legislation underscores that Floridians recognize our rich history and celebrate our diversity.” The vote was unanimous because Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, a self-described descendant of a Confederate soldier who voted against the bill in committee, changed his vote. Baxley said he was pleased an amendment was inserted last week to ensure Kirby’s statue would be returned to the Florida Department of State. “It’s always been a sticking point to me that we don’t … [Read more...] about Senate passes bill to place Bethune statue in U.S. Capitol
State lawmaker files bill to remove Virginia’s Robert E. Lee statue from U.S. Capitol
Del. Mark Levine, D-Alexandria, isn’t sure which Virginian should represent the state in the collection of statues at the U.S. Capitol, but he thinks it shouldn’t be Robert E. Lee. To that end, Levine has filed a bill to remove Virginia’s Lee statue from the National Statuary Hall Collection — where each state honors two of its luminaries — and set up a state commission to create a new statue to take the Confederate general’s place. “Is he the second-best Virginian in all of Virginia history that we need to honor? Is he? Really?” said Levine, an attorney who has served in the House since 2016. Several lawmakers have filed bills to give localities the power to remove Confederate monuments and relocate them to museums, nullifying a state law aimed at preventing local officials from removing or altering war memorials. Del. Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, has filed a bill to set up a state Monument Removal Fund that could accept private … [Read more...] about State lawmaker files bill to remove Virginia’s Robert E. Lee statue from U.S. Capitol
U.S. Capitol Christmas tree returning to Montana to rebuild burned-down James J. Hill chalet
HELENA, Mont. — The spruce tree destined to serve as the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree was carefully selected from a Montana forest and hauled across the country in a special truck to preserve its freshness. The 79-foot-tall tree, which was lit up last month during a ceremony with congressional members, had its own website and social media presence. Now, some Montana companies hope to keep its fame alive by trucking it back home so it can be used to help rebuild a historic chalet in Glacier National Park that was destroyed in a wildfire last summer. Some critics questioned the amount of fuel that would be burned to haul the tree back across the U.S. when Montana has plenty of trees, while others didn’t mind as long as taxpayer money wasn’t involved. The effort is certainly more sentimental than practical, but no public money is being spent and no one can profit from the tree’s use, said Bruce Ward with Choose Outdoors, the Denver-based nonprofit that organized the … [Read more...] about U.S. Capitol Christmas tree returning to Montana to rebuild burned-down James J. Hill chalet