Dublin Core
Title
Nathan Bedford Forrest Statue, Nashville
Description
The Nathan Bedford Forrest statue was dedicated to paying respect for the Confederate General and Ku Klux Klan grand wizard in 1998. The first photo in our archives gives a view of the sculptor located off of interstate 65 in Tennessee on private land. The photo depicts how conserved and protected the sculpture is, seeing that it is in a fenced area.
The second photo in our archives is of Nathan Bedford. The sculpture of Nathan Bedford was created by Jack Kershaw who interestingly enough was the lawyer for the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Kershaw's involvement with white supremacy groups pushed him to show his audience the good side of Forrest. He said, “Somebody needs to say something good about slavery.” The sculptor took it upon himself to make an honorary monument that caught the eye and attention of many members of his society who disagreed with his publicized opinion.
The third photo is a close-up of the controversial monument, which shows the funny elements of the sculpture. The statue is very cartoonish, with Forrest’s facial features, especially his eyes, seeming unnatural and funny. Over the years, the statue has been shot at, painted pink, and signs pointing out Forrest’s connection to white supremacy placed on it. The close-up photo shows a bullet entry/exit hole on Forrest’s knee. The owner Bill Dorris kept the paint on the statue to bring more people to see the statue. Dorris got criticisms for keeping the statue up and said controversial things over the years, which has fueled the angry protesters seeking to have the monument destroyed. He would compare the statue to other ones with a racial background, like the Washington monument.
The public is predominantly against the monument because it honors Forrest despite his involvement in the Ku Klux Klan, a movement known to cause havoc guided by racism against blacks in U.S history. People who have shown their resentment towards the monument seek to use its destruction as a way of urging the government to honor the lives lost during the reign of the Ku Klux Klan rather than honoring its perpetrators. The local government approved putting plants around the statue. The political leaders saw the statue as a continuation of slavery, but they could not do much since it was on private property. The transportation department did not approve of doing this action. Dorris has passed away, and the statue is still there on his property. The statue is connected to the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest in the state’s capital. It was removed on December 7, 2021 and there is no plan to remount or display it.
The second photo in our archives is of Nathan Bedford. The sculpture of Nathan Bedford was created by Jack Kershaw who interestingly enough was the lawyer for the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Kershaw's involvement with white supremacy groups pushed him to show his audience the good side of Forrest. He said, “Somebody needs to say something good about slavery.” The sculptor took it upon himself to make an honorary monument that caught the eye and attention of many members of his society who disagreed with his publicized opinion.
The third photo is a close-up of the controversial monument, which shows the funny elements of the sculpture. The statue is very cartoonish, with Forrest’s facial features, especially his eyes, seeming unnatural and funny. Over the years, the statue has been shot at, painted pink, and signs pointing out Forrest’s connection to white supremacy placed on it. The close-up photo shows a bullet entry/exit hole on Forrest’s knee. The owner Bill Dorris kept the paint on the statue to bring more people to see the statue. Dorris got criticisms for keeping the statue up and said controversial things over the years, which has fueled the angry protesters seeking to have the monument destroyed. He would compare the statue to other ones with a racial background, like the Washington monument.
The public is predominantly against the monument because it honors Forrest despite his involvement in the Ku Klux Klan, a movement known to cause havoc guided by racism against blacks in U.S history. People who have shown their resentment towards the monument seek to use its destruction as a way of urging the government to honor the lives lost during the reign of the Ku Klux Klan rather than honoring its perpetrators. The local government approved putting plants around the statue. The political leaders saw the statue as a continuation of slavery, but they could not do much since it was on private property. The transportation department did not approve of doing this action. Dorris has passed away, and the statue is still there on his property. The statue is connected to the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest in the state’s capital. It was removed on December 7, 2021 and there is no plan to remount or display it.
Creator
Jack Kershaw, Sculptor
Bill Dorris, Owner
Bill Dorris, Owner
Publisher
- Alund,Natalie Neysa. and Allison, Natalie. Nathan Bedford Forrest Statue Off I-65 Painted Pink, Owner Bill Dorris Won't Repair. The Tennessean. December 27, 2017.
- Beres, Nick.Future of Nathan Bedford Forrest Statue On I-65 Still In Limbo. News Channel 5 Nashville.November 30, 2020.
- Holley, Peter. The 'Terrifying' Confederate Statue Some Tennesseans Want To Hide. Washington Post. June 25, 2015.
Date
July 11,1998
Contributor
Patrick Michael (2020), Zach Weisz (2021), Raylene Castellano
Language
English
Type
Silver and Gold Leaf-Covered Sculpture
Identifier
History 402A Fall 2020
Coverage
Nashville, Tennesse