On Tuesday, a committee on the New York City Council was set to vote on a proposal that could result in monuments honoring figures such as George Washington, Christopher Columbus, Thomas Jefferson, Peter Stuyvesant, and more being removed due to their “controversial” pasts.
A public hearing was held on Tuesday addressing the proposal established by the NYC Committee on cultural affairs, libraries, and international intergroup relations. The proposal specified that public art that portrays someone who has been linked to slavery or “crimes against humanity” should be taken down.
However, if the commission determines that a statue or monument honors a person who committed crimes against humanity, but votes not to remove the artwork, it would require the city to create an “explanatory plaque” discussing the misdeeds of the historical figure.
The committee’s hearing involved additional legislation that would mandate the city’s Public Design Commission (PDC) to administer a plan to remove works of art on New York property.
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