CLAIBORNE PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – The Claiborne Parish Police Jury voted unanimously Thursday afternoon to return the Confederate statue on the courthouse lawn to the organization that donated it decades ago.
According to Claiborne Parish Police Jury Secretary-Treasurer Dwayne R. Woodard, the next step in the process will be to determine how much it will cost to remove the 9-foot, 8,000-pound monument from the southwest corner of the courthouse lawn.
According to the book, ‘Images of America: Claiborne Parish,’ the statue was placed there during a dedication ceremony in May of 1940. It was paid for by the Woman’s Department Club and the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
Woodard said the police jury does not want to destroy the monument, but that they do want it to be moved elsewhere and that it is not the responsibility of the donors to remove it.
Thursday’s vote took place during a specially called meeting. The agenda item doesn’t list the Confederate statue only says ‘Discussions Concerning Changes to the Claiborne Parish Courthouse lawn’.
According to Woodard the police jury discussion surrounding the statue lasted for 45 minutes before the group voted.