Relocate Limestone Confederate Soldiers Memorial

About the Statues

Limestone County's Confederate Memorial Statue was dedicated in 1909, 44 years after the Civil War had ended. These statues and memorials popped up all around the South during the Jim Crow era. These statues were meant to serve as a threat to the black community. 

As a community, we believe it is past time for those beliefs and idolizations to die. Unfortunately, it has taken the recent tragic murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor to finally spark us to act. Moving forward requires more than empathy; it requires action. The Athens-Limestone community is advocating for the removal of the Confederate Memorial statue on the courthouse grounds and for its relocation in a better, more fitting location such as a Confederate cemetery or museum where visitors can be educated on its history and so citizens will be able to choose whether or not to view it. 

While we cannot remove historical prejudices or the 400+ years of pain and suffering our neighbors have experienced, we hope that this statement can be a start towards a future of healing together.

The fine for removing a memorial or statue of this particular age in the state of Alabama is $25,000. GoFundMe takes $0.30 of every donation as well as a 2.9% processing fee.

Please email your commissioner and/or councilman using this form: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sPxmG3lmT1BBQDog9rnPtxDL9dwcCkd2VTjuwAT9qxU/edit?usp=sharing

List of commissioners and councilmen can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15DRwBReAkl_5LbaVIM1JlYsSZbTM6ryt8D-p4kI5tJ4/edit?usp=sharing

UPDATED FOR WITHDRAWAL PURPOSES:
Either myself or Lindsay Sims, another member of this coalition will be responsible for the withdrawals. I am in constant contact with her. This money will be handed over to the Limestone County Commission with a written signed statement that it is to be used to pay the fine for the relocation of the statue as well as cover any moving costs. $25,000 will go to the state of Alabama for the fine. If the law is repealed or the statue is able to be relocated without a fine, the money will be returned to all donors. Because of a state law created in 2017 by Governor Ivey, no building or statue can be renamed, relocated, or removed if it is 40 years or older. If a building or statue is removed, relocated, or renamed, the party responsible will be fined $25,000 by the state of Alabama. Ideally, this draconian law will be repealed, but we cannot count on that. For any further questions, send us a message.