Letter
Dear Col. Wiker:
In its public meeting of 16 November conducted by videoconference, the Commission of Fine Arts heard an information presentation on the proposed removal of the Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. Pursuant to Congressional action to adopt the Department of the Army’s report recommending removal of the memorial, the Commission of Fine Arts provided the following comments on the planning and coordination of this process.
The Commission members observed that the removal of memorials has often resulted in unresolved conditions in public settings. They observed that the memorial’s stone base, while not carrying any iconographic content, is a contributing part of the memorial. They raised concern that leaving the stone base in place after the bronze elements are removed may perpetuate an honorific function, and the intended removal of the commemoration would not be fully achieved. While recognizing the need to prevent damage to surrounding gravesites, the Commission members noted that removing the base without creating such a disturbance is within the special expertise of the cemetery staff. They therefore strongly recommended removing the entire structure, including the base and the foundation.
The Commission members commented that the complete removal of the memorial would allow for a reparative action within this sacred national landscape, and they advised thoughtful consideration of what could be done with the site after the entire memorial is removed; they suggested that one potential solution would be the planting of a specimen tree at the center of the circular array of grave markers. Recognizing that the memorial’s sculptural elements will be stored following their removal, the Commission members suggested that these could be kept for historic and artistic interpretation in the future. The Commission thanks the Department of the Army and Arlington National Cemetery for the opportunity to provide these comments. As always, the staff is available to assist you.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Col. Andrew Wiker, Director of Engineering
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, VA 22211
cc: Julie Langan, Virginia Department of Historic Resources