National Park Service to Restore Albert Pike Statue

The National Park Service announced on Monday plans to restore a statue of Confederate General Albert Pike, which had been toppled during protests in June 2020.

This restoration will see the bronze statue, which was damaged, reinstalled in accordance with the Historic Preservation Act. It aligns with a recent executive order aimed at reopening the nation’s capital and preserving existing monuments.

Notably, June 19, 2020, a day marked by protests against racism and to commemorate the end of American slavery, saw the Pike statue destroyed by demonstrators. The unrest followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Pike, a general during the Civil War, also served in various capacities, including as a quasi-justice on the Arkansas Supreme Court. The destruction of his statue occurred amidst nationwide protests that erupted that summer.

Additionally, the announcement referenced President Trump’s executive orders focused on safeguarding historical monuments and battling what is labeled as a “revisionist movement” regarding American history and heritage. Lindsay Harrigan, a White House official, expressed gratitude towards the National Park Service for their decision, highlighting that the statue had stood for over a century as a tribute to Pike’s scholarly and Masonic contributions, funded predominantly by private Masonic organizations.