DENVER — The Civil War statue that was toppled by protesters outside the Colorado Capitol earlier this summer might not come back but, it might not hide in storage either.
History Colorado has offered to display the statue, which depicts a Union cavalryman. Back in 2017, a petition to have it taken down falsely alleged it depicted Col. John Chivington, who orchestrated the Sand Creek Massacre, which killed more than 150 people including Native Americans, many of whom were women and children.
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Chivington’s name is on the memorial, under a section that lists military leadership. It also listed the Sand Creek Massacre as a battle, but this was corrected in another plaque that outlined the horrors of the day.
The statue was meant to honor Colorado soldiers who fought and died in the Civil War, according to the state's website. It was designed by Captain Jack Howland, a member of the First Colorado Cavalry and was paid for from funds by the Pioneers' Association and the state of Colorado. It was erected on July 24, 1909, and topped on June 25 of this year.
Monuments related to the Civil War have been targets for removal following the death of unarmed Black man George Floyd, who died in May after a white Minneapolis Police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes, sparking large protests across the country.
In its proposal to take the Colorado Capitol’s Civil War statue, History Colorado said it would display it along with an explanation for why it was created.
The executive director of the state’s Department of Personnel and Administration said it is still working with the museum and will eventually present a full proposal to state lawmakers.
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