If you’ve tuned into the show before, then you know that most of our conversations are centered around public art, history and racial justice. The combination of these three things are the essence of what makes this topic so interesting: how does one tackle the artistic, historic and cultural meaning behind a public structure in the best way possible? For the most part, these monuments are city wide issues that permeate the public discourse of a community. Of course, there are times like in 2020 when many eyes are on specific monuments like the Columbus statue in St. Paul and Monument Avenue in Richmond. But for the most part, these are local issues that, with enough public discourse and political backing, are resolved to some degree.

However, there are unique instances where an oppressive monument has so much artistic weight, so much history and so much cultural impact that the conversation around it goes beyond these three elements. What results is a structure that is essentially too big to fail, despite the outdated meaning of the monument itself. It’s hard to find examples like this in the United States, but there is one that stands out above the rest. With a size of over 17,000 square feet engraved in one of the biggest geological formations in the country, the Confederate Memorial Carving in Stone Mountain is a fascinating story to say the least.




Not only is it the biggest confederate monument in the country, it’s also a tourist attraction to anyone visiting Georgia. A rebrand of Stone Mountain Park in the 80s made what was originally a bland history-focused walk into a family friendly amusement park that just so happens to be centered around confederate soldiers. Almost everyone that lives in Georgia has been or knows someone who has made the trek up the mountain, and the sight of Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson are clear as day. Many scholars, historians, and political organizations have advocated for change. However, changing Stone mountain and its accompanying engraving is nowhere near an easy task. To speak to this, we sat down with Sheffield Hale and Claire Bailey from the Atlanta History Center.

The Atlanta History Center, or AHC, is a history museum and research center located in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1926, the museum currently consists of nine permanent, and several temporary, exhibitions. They also have a variety of programs and initiatives aimed at connecting people to history and culture in a thoughtful and comprehensive way. One of these projects is the Confederate Monument Interpretation Guide, founded in 2016 with a focus on breaking down Lost Cause ideology. Sheffield Hale is the CEO of the AHC, and Claire Haley is the CEO and VP for Democracy Initiatives at the Atlanta History Center.



As a pioneer in the conversation around monuments of oppression, we were very excited to finally talk to them. Enjoy the show!

When it comes to the conversation around Monuments of oppression, there are a few obstacles that usually come into play.

To start, there's the Daughters of the Confederacy, the neo-Confederate association for female descendants of Confederate Civil War soldiers. They work all over the country to “preserve the legacy” of Confederate soldiers by actively fighting against any Confederate monument removal. Additionally, there are the white nationalist groups that, through misinformation and a lot of anger, block peaceful protests and legislative progress all over the country as well.

But in southern states in particular, a different kind of obstacle has proven to be quite difficult to overcome. I’m talking about specific laws and codes that get in the way of social progress.

Let’s take a look at Mississippi, for instance. Mississippi was the last state in the country to have the Confederate emblem on its flag. Mississippi state politicians have also had laws protecting Confederate monuments on the books since 1972. Structures, including the "War Between the States" Monument, are prohibited from being relocated, removed, or defiled by the Mississippi Code of 1972.

South Carolina is no different. Since 2000, the South Carolina Heritage Act has been cited as a way to protect Confederate monuments. The act was an amendment to a code of laws in 1976.

And now, recent news has come up about Florida proposing a bill that would Allow civilians to sue when Confederate monuments are damaged or removed, making it, if passed, one of the most detrimental pieces of legislation to the conversation around monuments of oppression.

Although there are a myriad of obstacles that come up when dealing with racial justice in southern states, there are still organizations and movements who are working twice as hard to get the job done on a grassroots and statewide level.

This month, the Monuments Toolkit headed down to Alabama to speak to two amazing women who are fighting back against these obstacles in their own unique ways.

The Monumental Project spoke with Camille Bennett of Project Say Something and Michelle Browder from the Mothers of Gynecology Monument. Enjoy!

Welcome to another episode of The Monumental Project on behalf of the Monuments Toolkit! In honor of Pride Month, we decided to look at an incredible monument collection that does an amazing job championing the LGBTQ+ community. The monuments in question? None other than The Legacy Walk in Chicago, Illinois.


The LGBTQ+ community has made great strides in the past few decades in the field of public art representation. One notable example of public art representing the gay community is the iconic Stonewall National Monument in New York City. Erected in 2016, the monument commemorates the historic Stonewall uprising of 1969, a pivotal moment in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. The monument, located in the heart of Greenwich Village, serves as a symbol of resilience and marks the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. It stands as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for equality and the importance of safe spaces for all individuals to express their authentic selves. This monument, as well as other public art installations like the AIDS Memorial Quilt, have provided the LGBTQ+ community with positive reminders that their history and identity is respected.

Today we are focusing on the Legacy Walk in Chicago Illinois, another monument collection that does an amazing job highlighting the impacts of exceptional LGBTQ+ individuals. Public art plays a significant role in shaping our cities, fostering inclusivity, and most importantly highlighting diverse narratives. This is the biggest reason why controversial monuments are an issue; their presence upholds a niche and outdated narrative. The work of the Monuments Toolkit often focuses on controversial monuments that have glorified specific pieces of history, but we also love to draw attention to what we call Monuments of Upliftment. Monuments that are, in our eyes, correctly using the power of statues and monuments to support amazing organizations, histories and cultures. The Legacy Walk is a great example of this.

The Legacy Walk is a dynamic outdoor history display in Chicago's "Lakeview" neighborhood, also known nationally and globally as "Boystown." Ten pairs of 25 feet tall ornate steel "Rainbow Pylons" indicate the nexus of Chicago's LGBTQ community along the half-mile North Halsted Street Corridor, between Belmont Avenue and Grace Street.

A series of bronze biographical memorial markers affixed to the pylons commemorate the life and work of notable LGBTQ individuals whose achievements have helped shape the world - but whose contributions, sexual orientation, or gender identity have been overlooked, minimized, or completely redacted from most historical texts.

The installation is amazing for many reasons, which is why it became a national landmark in 2019 and the only outdoor LGBTQ history museum in the world. To speak to the history and creation of this monument, The Monumental Project spoke to Victor Salvo.

Victor Salvo is the creator, co-founder and executive director of the Legacy Project, the program responsible for the Legacy Walk. A native Chicagoan, Victor Salvo has been an activist for four decades. As co-founder and executive director of the award-winning“Legacy Project,” Victor works to educate the general public about the many roles that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) people have played in the advancement of world history and culture.

We sat down with Victor to speak on Chicago's LGBTQ history, the inspiration behind this collection, and how it's already impacted the lives of so many people.