Mayor Donna Deegan’s decision to remove Confederate statues from Springfield Park drew praise from the Jacksonville Civic Council, which said it was time for Jacksonville to “put the issue of Confederate monuments behind us.”
The Civic Council, a nonprofit group of prominent business leaders from more than 70 organizations, said in a Dec. 27 statement that it had twice called for the monument to be removed from park since 2017. After those calls went unanswered, the council recommended to then Jacksonville City Council President Sam Newby that the city bring in outside facilitators to hold a community dialogue about the future of Confederate monuments on public lands.
“Again, no action was taken,” the statement read. “Today, action was taken. We applaud and support the Mayor’s decisive action.”
Established in 2010, the Civic Council is a nonprofit group that lists its goal as helping resolve community issues by examining problems, proposing solutions, advocating for change and providing resources and support. Part of the group’s stated mission is to promote an economically vibrant community that offers opportunities for residents from all walks of life.
The statement posted on the home page of the Civic Council website was signed by board Chair Eric Mann and President and CEO Dennis Whittle. Mann is YMCA of Florida’s First Coast CEO and president.
The Jacksonville Jaguars and the JAX Chamber, which has 3,000 members, did not issue statements about the removal of the statues.
The Springfield Park monument, which was erected in 1915 and dedicated to the women of the Confederacy, has been a years-long subject of discord in Jacksonville. Proponents of its removal called it a symbol of white supremacy while opponents demanded that it remain on public display as a historical artifact.
Deegan’s order removed the large statue within the stone monument and a smaller one from its cupola. A statement issued by the city said the money to remove the statues came from private sources, with the city Office of General Counsel advising that City Council approval wasn’t needed for Deegan’s action because public funding wasn’t involved.
In a statement issued by the city, Deegan said removing the statue was “not in any way an attempt to erase history but to show that we’ve learned from it.”
“My prayer today is for our beautiful city to continue embracing unity and bending the arc of history towards justice,” she said.
Deegan’s predecessor, Mayor Lenny Curry, removed a Confederate statue in 2020 from what is now James Weldon Johnson Park outside City Hall. Curry, a Republican, also voiced support for removing the monument in Springfield Park.
Deegan’s order drew criticism from at least two regional Republican leaders – City Council member Nick Howland and state Rep. Dean Black – who said she had abused her authority.
Black filed legislation in November that, if passed by the state Legislature in its upcoming session, would prohibit the removal of “historical monuments and memorials” and would subject any local official who violates the law to possible removal from office. Violators also could be required to return the monuments, pay for their reinstallation and pay fines.
Deegan has described Black’s legislation as a “constitutional overreach.”
