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A Georgia square that was home to a Confederate monument for more than a century will now host a statue of the late civil rights icon John Lewis.

Authorities began installing the sculpture of the former Georgia congressman in Decatur last week ahead of its official unveiling on Saturday.

“It’s exciting to see it going up and exciting for the significance of what it represents and what it’s replacing,” Basil Watson, the artist behind the new statue, said at the installation.

Its arrival comes about four years after Decatur officials removed a 30-foot-tall obelisk erected by the Daughters of the Confederacy in 1908.

That statue was taken down in June of 2020, amid national racial justice protests that erupted across the U.S. following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn. Floyd, who was Black, died after a white police officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for more than 9 minutes as he lay facedown, hands cuffed behind his back.


A large bronze statue of the late civil rights leader and politician Rep. John Lewis was installed last week in Decatur, Ga., where a monument to the Confederacy was removed in 2020.

Lewis died in July 2020 at the age of 80 after being diagnosed with advanced-stage pancreatic cancer.

The following summer, a group created by DeKalb County called the John Lewis Commemorative Task Force kicked off its search for a new public art installation at the site of the former Confederate monument.

Watson told Decaturish in 2022 that the 16-foot-tall sculpture of Lewis depicts him with his hands over his heart in a gesture of love that he was fond of.

A civil rights activist, Lewis led sit-ins protesting segregation in the Jim Crow-era South and was beaten alongside other demonstrators during a march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., in 1965.

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Lewis was first elected to Congress in 1987, where he served as a Democrat until his death four years ago.



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Felecia Phillips Ollie DD (h.c.) is the inspiring leader and founder of The Equality Network LLC (TEN). With a background in coaching, travel, and a career in news, Felecia brings a unique perspective to promoting diversity and inclusion. Holding a Bachelor's Degree in English/Communications, she is passionate about creating a more inclusive future. From graduating from Mississippi Valley State University to leading initiatives like the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program, Felecia is dedicated to making a positive impact. Join her journey on our blog as she shares insights and leads the charge for equity through The Equality Network.

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