12 of the South’s Most Racist Monuments

The Most American of Monuments project documents large and small tributes to the Confederacy.


In his “Most American of Monuments” project, photographer Nathan Millis documents statues, plaques, and other monuments to the confederacy that dot parks and government grounds throughout the American South. He completed this body of work in 2014, but the photos have gained new significance in the wake of last week’s mass shooting at a historically black church in Charleston, South Carolina, and the nationwide furor that has ensued, encouraging the removal of the confederate flag from statehouses and retailers’ inventories.

As Millis’ project shows, even with the flag being removed from government buildings, these monuments to secessionist dreams are deeply ingrained within public spaces throughout the South.

All photos by Nathan Millis.

 

Confederate memorial in Lockhart, Texas

Caldwell County Courthouse, Lockhart, Texas
 
Confederate Square, Gonzales, Texas

Confederate Square, Gonzales, Texas
 
Lee Park, Charlottesville, Virginia

Lee Park, Charlottesville, Virginia
 
Corsicana, Texas

Corsicana, Texas
 
Colquitt, Georgia

Colquitt, Georgia
 
Walton County Court House, DeFuniak Springs, Florida

Walton County Court House, DeFuniak Springs, Florida
 
Court Square, Ozark, Alabama

Court Square, Ozark, Alabama
 
Ocala, Florida

Ocala, Florida
 
Daviess County Courthouse, Owensboro, Kentucky

Daviess County Courthouse, Owensboro, Kentucky
 
Linn Park, Birmingham, Alabama

Linn Park, Birmingham, Alabama
 
Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro, North Carolina
 
Former Jackson County Courthouse and current Jackson County Public Library, Sylva, North Carolina

Jackson County Public Library (formerly Jackson County Courthouse), Sylva, North Carolina

 

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

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