New York museum takes down Theodore Roosevelt statue

A New York museum is reportedly taking down its Theodore Roosevelt statue due to its racist depictions. The statue shows the late president flanked by both a Native American and African man which has heated up debates on whether such historical figures need to be in plain sight especially when they are considered racist in nature.

One of Roosevelt’s great-grandsons has agreed with its removal, saying the statue does not reflect Roosevelt’s legacy accurately. Furthermore, New York’s mayor and the museum’s president echoed their support saying the statue depicts systemic racism and it should be removed.

The statue is outside the American Museum of Natural History and is the latest monument to come under fire after the Black Lives Matter movement has called for such removals after the death of African American man George Floyd, who was recently killed by police after being arrested for a petty crime.

President Trump, however, disagreed by saying the recent controversy is due to “the unhinged left-wing mob trying to vandalise our history, desecrate our monuments.”

SOURCE: BBC