The Jackson City Council voted to move the statue of President Andrew Jackson away from City Hall. Today's edition of Flashback Friday takes a look at how the statue came to be.
The city of Jackson commissioned Kathryn Speed in 1967 to create the 10-foot tall bronze statute to honor Mississippi's 150th birthday. She was the widow of former Jackson Mayor Leland Speed and mother of Jackson favorite Leland Speed.. The city paid her $15,600.
The old newspaper articles posted below tell the story of how the statute came to be. Jackson City Hall was not a dump but rather a building devoid of scenery. The city and Keep Jackson Beautiful spent over $114,000 to create the Halbert Gardens, fountain, and Andrew Jackson statue.
Kingfish note: As for President Jackson himself, well, let's not mince any words. He was a mean sonovabitch. Period. Some people should be placed into a glass box that says "break open in time of war." Such a description probably fit Ole Hickory perfectly. However, in a war, he was the sonovabitch you wanted by your side.
The British tortured and imprisoned him as a child. Check off the root causes or environment theory on that one. He owned slaves and was not exactly enlightened in how he dealt with them. To say Blacks look upon him with disfavor is no small understatement and it is not hard to see why.
However, he did save the country not once, but twice. He saved New Orleans and thus the United States from British conquest. A capture of New Orleans meant control of the Mississippi and thus a large portion of the American economy. The same Brits who were enslaving American sailors would have put that new advantage to good use.
He saved the Union again when as President he stood up to John C. Calhoun in the Nullification crisis. Perhaps Aaron Banks should read about this episode because he sounded pretty ignorant Tuesday when he accused Jackson of being part of the Confederacy. Jackson was all about the Union and would not brook any attempts to divide it, even over the tariffs that afflicted the South.
What is funny is Jackson was not part of the elite of his day. The Boston Blueboods and Virginia Cavaliers looked down their noses at this hillbilly. Indeed, he was seen as a commoner and when he assumed office, he allowed the common people to party at the White House on his inaugural day, much to the outrage of Washington society. Somewhere along the way, he also stood up to the banks and cancelled the national bank. In some ways, he was Antifa before there was an Antifa. He was a man of the people every much as the Mayor claims to be today.
It is up to the citizens of Jackson and their leaders to decide if they want President Jackson to continue to represent them at Halbert Gardens. If they choose to remove his statue, that is their right to do so.
Oh yes, Mayor Lumumba said something about "genocide" against the Indians. Perhaps the learned Lumumba should take a look at the revered Buffalo Soldiers who are celebrated every February. What exactly does he think they were doing out west? Singing Home on the Range and smoking peyote?
The city should allow the Speed family to buy back the statue. Jackson can't take care of potholes, raw sewage, manhole covers, crime, Mynelle Gardens, or even a zoo. Everyone knows what will happen to this work of art. It will be ruined through neglect (likeliest scenario), incompetence, or vandalism. The city forfeited it's deposit of trust a loooong time ago.
Ironically, Mrs. Speed's next sculpture was a bust of the founder of Piney Woods School.
27 comments:
KF, I believe I have read that the Battle of New Orleans was fought two weeks AFTER the Treaty of Ghent ended the War of 1812.
And? British suddenly have a huge leverage on the US.
Would it be the first time that hated nation broke a treaty?
Well, no reason to take Mr Jackson down since he wasn’t built with slave labor.
That statue of President Andrew Jackson is work of art.
The City was lucky that Ms. Speed created such a magnificent sculpture.
It's on par with any piece of sculpture on the planet.
If they ( baby chock & crew) don't want his statue in front of the Jackson City Hall, by all means move him.
I'm willing to bet "Old Hickory" doesn't want to be anywhere in Jackson, Mississippi . . . either.
" I believe I have read that the Battle of New Orleans was fought two weeks AFTER the Treaty of Ghent ended the War of 1812."
You are right .
The Treaty of Ghent had been signed before the Battle of New Orleans, but it's not like they had internet in 1815.
It normally took about about four weeks for any news to cross the Atlantic,
Neither Andrew Jackson or the English Generals knew the war was over at the Battle of NOLA.
But Andrew Jackson still kicked their ass !
The battle was fought because news of the treaty hadn’t reached Jackson’s troops yet. No twitter in those days. It wasn’t an intentional violation of the treaty.
Where will the insanity end? This is being permitted to happen by those afflicted with "white guilt".
Today's journalists, bloggers and commentators should aspire to write and/or speak half as eloquently as Ms. Dorothy Alford in her piece "School Days: Life Brought to a Quicker Pace." (see sixth photo) You want to talk about art...
Well to be honest nobody erected statues to black slave owners. I suspect that slavery will return very shortly. We will just call it socialism and we will call it freedom for fear of the gulag.
Maybe a city like Flowood or Madison will take it and place it on a park for everyone to enjoy.
Who even seeing it in Jackson anyhow? Nobody goes downtown to that sh*thole anyways.
It's a disgrace to anyone who was a descendent of slaves and Native Americans. We should definitely put these folks history in perspective. Keep the statue, but also erect a sign with his key historical moments. Let's be honest great, but by no means perfect. That's how you begin open dialogue. You can't deny it or erase it.
Maybe New Orleans would take it so it can be enjoyed by tourists and get out of this sh*thole state.
This state is f--d.
Has nobody seen little chocks latest, he wants to reclaim Jackson’s name. Get rid of that racist name of Jackson and call it God shows favor. No shit, he was on the news yesterday talking about reclaiming Jackson’s name. Can’t believe kingfish didn’t post that article.
Jackson Mayor wants to reclaim the city’s name - straight off wlbt
Give the statute to the Mississippi Two Museums. KF’s commentary, with a little editing, is the appropriate context. Redo the Josh Halbert gardens and don’t put any damn statute in there.
Next.
I think Ridgeland should ask for the statue and put it somewhere in proximity to the original Old Agency Road, since it was part of Jackson's route to the Battle of New Orleans. Maybe they could put it in the middle of the roundabout!
8:20: Best post I’ve seen here in awhile! Nice!
I’m a Ridgeland resident and I wholeheartedly support 8:20’s idea. Historical significance as well as a very nice piece of art.
Historian Winston Groom is clear that if the British had won at New Orleans we would have been too weak to have ever dislodged them from N.O. Or the La territories and the Britain would have abrogated the Treaty of Ghent.
I’am with you 8:20
Chockweville or Eversville ? do you know the millions it would cost to change addresses, etc. If only he had something else he could be working on
For a long time I thought when people said Soros is trying to start a race war and destroy america. Im like right. But news like this and how they are harassing the St. Louis couple while allowing rioters to destroy property and have their picture and they do nothing makes you really think.
"Maybe they could put it in the middle of the roundabout! "
Make sure to place the statue so his back is facing Jacktown.
Purely rhetorical, but it would interesting to know how many people, regardless of skin color, knew anything at all about Andrew Jackson prior to all of this. And that goes as much for the white folks now arguing "history!" as well as the black folks arguing "slave owner!"
I learned in middle school that the best way to win a debate was to have a better understanding of the counterargument than your counterpart has of their own position. I didn't go to school, public or private, in the Jackson area so perhaps that explains...my learning...
If a locality wishes to get rid of a statue, fine.
But may I suggest getting rid of
"roundabouts" first ?
No one knows how to drive in those things anyway.
Good for Andrew Jackson getting to leave. If you had asked 10 people walking near the statue, probably only 1 out of 10 could have told you who it was and that's being charitable with my guess. Would any of the ten know he was a president?
And back in the day that garden was full of beautiful flowers. Now it is nothing but weeds and dirt.
Perhaps the city council will approve a George Floyd statue.
Failed City with sophomore (at best leaders) living by emotion. Pitiful past 30 years going back to the Suit Mayor
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