Press Releases

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) issued the following statement in support of a resolution introduced in the Georgia legislature, by State Representative Scot Turner, calling for the state to replace the statue of Alexander H. Stephens with one of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the U.S. Capitol building.

“You cannot discuss Georgia’s history or our nation’s journey for freedom and liberty without mentioning the Civil Rights movement or Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Reverend King’s impact in America’s history is well storied; and, his Georgia roots are something many Georgians, like myself, are very proud of. Inspired by his Christian upbringing and beliefs, Reverend King inspired millions through his unwavering determination, peaceful protests, and willingness to have difficult conversations with those who disagreed with him. While I am opposed to the destruction or removal of historic statues, monuments, and artwork, I do support Rep. Turner’s resolution to replace the statue of Alexander Stephens with a statue of Reverend King in the U.S. Capitol. Reverend King’s commitment to individual liberties aligns our state’s history with the principles on which this nation was founded, which are the God-given rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In 2013, as a state senator, I introduced the Freedom Resolution, expressing remorse for the injustices of Georgia’s previous involvement in slavery, so I believe showing my support for this resolution is highly appropriate.”

The resolution calls for the creation of a National Statuary Hall Collection Replacement Committee, to be comprised of eight members chosen by the Governor. The committee is tasked with decisions such as, who will sculpt the statue, management of private funds raised for the statue, and relocation of the Alexander H. Stephens statue. To read the resolution, CLICK HERE.

The National Statuary Hall Collection at the U.S. Capitol allows each state to display two statues in the U.S. Capitol complex. Since 2000, Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, and Ohio have each replaced one of their original statues, and North Carolina has recently discussed replacing one of theirs with the late evangelist, Rev. Billy Graham.