Work crews in Dekalb County, Georgia, installed a statue of civil rights leader and Congressman John Lewis at the same spot where a controversial monument to the Confederacy had stood for over a century.
The development comes nearly four years after the Confederate monument in Decatur was dismantled in 2020 amid the furor over the death of George Floyd, which ignited nationwide protests and riots.
Work crews gently rested the 12-foot-tall (3.7-meter-tall) statue into place as the internationally acclaimed sculptor, Basil Watson, looked on carefully.
“It’s exciting to see it going up and exciting for the city because of what he represents and what it’s replacing,” Watson said, as he assisted with the installation process.
Lewis was known for his role at the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement and urged others to get in “good trouble” for a cause he saw as vital and…
