No money has been raised to move Confederate general’s statue

Published 10:00 am Saturday, September 5, 2020

DALTON, Ga. — A statue of Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston has stood watch over downtown Dalton for more than a century, and it continues to stand almost three months after three marches and three groups called for its removal.

A plan to move the statue from the corner of Hamilton Street and Crawford Street, where it has stood since 1912, to the Huff House, which served as Johnston’s headquarters when the Army of Tennessee spent the winter of 1863-64 in Dalton, had seemed to be coming together. The Huff House is owned by the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society. But the players have not been able to find the money for the move.

Both the historical society and the Dalton chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), which owns the statue, say they cannot afford to move it. The UDC has said it is willing to move the statue if that’s what the City Council wants (the statue is on city property). The UDC has said the Huff House is a suitable place for it. The UDC would retain ownership of the statue if it is moved.

Savannah Thomas started a change.org petition to have the statue moved. More than 6,000 people have signed that petition, and Thomas and a group of them have said they would help raise the money to move the statue.

“They are really handling all of that,” said Eros Hernandez, one of the organizers of a June protest in Dalton that included moving the statue as one of its demands.

“That wasn’t exactly at the top of our list of demands,” he said. “It was definitely there, but it wasn’t our main priority. We are focusing on other things, more funding for social programs and things to help keep the community safe. And we are leaving that statue up to (Savannah).

Thomas did not return several telephone messages.

The Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia agreed to serve as a financial conduit for the group to solicit donations. Community Foundation President David Aft said Friday that no money has been raised to move the statue.

“I believe that, within reason, the money to move the statue shouldn’t be an issue,” he said. “It is all of the powers to be agreeing to a plan that includes all of the details of what they want to do.”

The statue remaining where it is has Rashun Mack upset.

“The people on the City Council came out in favor of moving the statue …,” said Mack, a Dalton native and CEO of the Atlanta-based Southern Advocacy Group, which organized two demonstrations in Dalton in June, one of which focused on the statue.

“But when some opposition arose, it seemed like they gave up on the plan,” Mack said.

Council member Annalee Harlan said she can “appreciate that perception.”

“But the city is not in an actionable position,” she said. “It is not our property.”

Mayor David Pennington agrees.

“We don’t own the statue,” he said. “It’s not ours to move. If the (owners) wanted to deed it to us, maybe we could do something. But I’m not sure the city would take it. It’s sort of a political hot potato right now.”

Mack said he doesn’t want the statue moved. He said he would like to see the city get rid of it entirely.

“That’s what they need to do to move into the 21st century,” he said. “As long as it is there, the city isn’t going to be able to attract the sort of people it wants.”

Harlan said it may be time for city officials to sit down with all of the parties that are involved and see where things stand.

Council member Tyree Goodlett agrees. He pointed to a June meeting at the Mack Gaston Community Center organized by Tom Pinson that brought together people on both sides of the issue.

“I thought that we were able to reach an understanding of each other and reach some common ground,” Goodlett said. “Maybe we need to bring together maybe two people from each group that is involved in this and see if we can reach a solution.” 

Whitfield-Murray Historical Society President Ellen Thompson said in July the group’s board members agreed they are interested in hosting the statue at the Huff House if the City Council decides to move the statue. But Thompson said the group is OK with it remaining where it is.

Dalton attorney Robert Jenkins, who represents the UDC, said he has gotten some “very preliminary” estimates of what it would cost to move the statue but no numbers he will release.

“Nothing really has gone on since (July) as various people have been out of town and on vacation or tied up on other things,” he said.

Jenkins said that, in addition to the move itself, relocating the statue would require placing a concrete pad outside the Huff House to place the statue on as well as a security system and fence around the statue, and he’s trying to get estimates on those as well.

The statue staying where it is has the statue’s supporters pleased.

“We hope and urge, with time and emotions passing, the UDC would reconsider moving the monument and let it stand where it has for nearly 108 years,” said Tyler Martin, one of the founders of a Facebook group called Don’t Let Joe Go that is dedicated to preserving the statue at its current location.

“As for the city officials that do not wish to please or fight for their constituents, ones that reside in the city and county, but yet appease a small, out-of-town minority, we only have one message — we vote. Can they say the same for those they are appeasing?” Martin said. “At this time we feel there is not much we can do as the city wants to pass off the monument as it is not their problem.”