Why Monuments Are Never Neutral
Statues are not just art or decoration; they are declarations of value. When a city places a figure on a pedestal, it signals whose story deserves honor, permanence, and public reverence. Over time, these choices shape how history is remembered and whose pain is minimized. In Baltimore and across the country, monuments celebrating white historical figures dominate public space, while Black contributions are often absent or sidelined. This imbalance is not accidental. It reflects long-standing decisions about which narratives are elevated and which are ignored. When people say statues are “just history,” they overlook the fact that history is curated. What is displayed in bronze and stone tells us what a society chooses to celebrate, not merely what happened. That distinction matters deeply.
Honor
The Legacy of Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key is most commonly remembered as the author of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” now the U.S. national anthem. What is less commonly discussed is that Key was a slaveholder who publicly defended slavery and opposed abolition. The third stanza of the anthem, rarely sung today, references the defeat of those who sought freedom, including enslaved Africans who joined the British in hopes of liberation. For many Black Americans, this stanza represents not unity, but celebration of oppression. When a statue of Key stands prominently in a city with a large Black population, it raises difficult questions about whose suffering is acknowledged and whose is dismissed. Honoring Key without context sends a message that his contributions outweigh the harm tied to his beliefs and actions. That message lands differently depending on whose ancestors bore the cost.
National Symbols and Racial Exclusion
The national anthem is often described as a unifying song, but its origins reveal a narrower vision of who the nation was meant to include. For Black Americans, especially descendants of enslaved people, the anthem’s history can feel alienating rather than inspiring. Symbols that claim to represent everyone must be examined honestly when they exclude or demean large segments of the population. This is not about erasing history; it is about telling the whole story. When symbols are stripped of context, they become tools of denial rather than remembrance. Public reverence without reflection reinforces old hierarchies. A nation that prides itself on liberty must be willing to confront the contradictions embedded in its most sacred icons.
The Absence of Black Monuments
The frustration many express is not only about who is honored, but about who is missing. Black Americans have shaped this country through labor, culture, resistance, and leadership, yet statues reflecting that reality are rare. The absence itself becomes a statement. When cities are filled with monuments to white figures tied to oppression while Black excellence remains invisible, it reinforces the idea that Black lives are footnotes rather than foundations. Representation in public space matters because it shapes collective memory. Children learn who mattered by what they see celebrated. Without Black statues, murals, and memorials, history remains incomplete.
Reframing Public Memory
Calls to reassess monuments are not demands to destroy the past, but to mature in how it is remembered. Contextual plaques, new monuments, and inclusive storytelling can coexist with historical preservation. Adding Black statues does not subtract from history; it corrects it. A fuller public memory acknowledges both achievement and harm. It allows space for pride without denying pain. When communities push for change, they are not rejecting America; they are asking it to live up to its stated ideals. Progress requires honesty, not silence.
Summary
Statues and national symbols reflect choices about whose stories are valued. The continued honoring of figures like Francis Scott Key, without context, highlights deep racial imbalances in public memory. The third stanza of the national anthem and Key’s views on slavery complicate the narrative of unity often attached to his legacy. Meanwhile, the absence of Black monuments reinforces historical erasure. These issues are not about the past alone, but about how history is framed today.
Conclusion
A nation reveals its character through what it chooses to honor. Reckoning with monuments and symbols is not an act of division, but of responsibility. Public spaces should tell fuller, more honest stories that include those who were exploited as well as those who held power. Adding Black statues and reexamining existing ones is not about tearing down America; it is about expanding its memory. Only by confronting uncomfortable truths can a society move toward genuine inclusion and shared dignity.