Tennessee Removes Bust of KKK Leader From State Capitol

A bust of a top Confederate general was transferred out of the Tennessee State Capitol Friday morning. The bust, which depicted General and former Ku Klux Klan leader Nathan Bedford Forrest, was installed in 1978, marking the spot separating the House and Senate chambers. Numerous state lawmakers had called for its removal, including Republican Gov. Bill Lee and Tennessee’s Black legislative caucus, before a Thursday vote by the state building commission to officiate the removal of all military officials displayed in the Capitol. The bust, along with the busts of several Union officials, will be transferred to the Tennessee State Museum. “Removing the likeness of Nathan Bedford Forrest from a place of honor in Tennessee’s Capitol is a symbol for much needed reconciliation,” State Sen. Raumesh Akbari told the Associated Press.