Charleston Will Remove Statue Of John C. Calhoun, Vice President Who Defended Slavery

TOPLINE

The city of Charleston voted unanimously on Tuesday to remove a statue of John C. Calhoun, the latest statue to come down as protests across the country cause local officials to reckon with monuments to racist historical figures.

KEY FACTS

Crucial quote

The statue “is seen by many people as something other than a memorial to the accomplishments of a South Carolina native, but rather a symbol glorifying slavery and as such, a painful reminder of the history of slavery in Charleston,” the resolution before the city council said.

Key background

Protesters across the county have toppled, vandalized and called for the removal of statues commemorating the Confederacy along with historical figures who owned slaves or espoused racist views. Along with Charleston, many places have also taken down their own monuments, but the issue is still politically charged. Trump tweeted on Tuesday he is authorizing the federal government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any statue on federal property after protesters attempted to remove an Andrew Jackson statue from the area outside the White House Monday night.