Jacksonville, Florida, mayor has Confederate monument removed after years of controversy

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Crews removed a Confederate monument from a Jacksonville, Florida, park following years of public controversy. Work began early Wednesday morning. Mayor Donna Deegan ordered the removal of the “Tribute to the Women of the Southern Confederacy” monument, which has been in Springfield Park since 1915. She said the decision is not an attempt to erase history but to show that people have learned from it. A proposal to remove the monument was introduced to the Jacksonville City Council in 2021, but the Republican-controlled board never moved on it. Earlier this month, city attorneys determined that city council approval was unnecessary because city funds were not being used for the work.