Confederate monuments have been the topic of many discussions lately, mostly about them being torn down or covered up.
But a new Confederate monument is set to be unveiled this weekend in Crenshaw County. The monument is dedicated to “unknown Alabama Confederate soldiers.” David Coggins, the owner of Confederate Memorial Park where the monument will be located, says it is intended to honor Confederate soldiers who died in battle and never received a proper burial.
The Alabama branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People opposes the monument. Benard Simelton is the president of the Alabama Conference of the NAACP. He says the new monument illustrates an ongoing division in the South and nationwide.
“There’s no need, no reason that they want to do this other than try to show that the Confederacy is still strong and still standing strong.”
Simelton says the current atmosphere surrounding race relations and Confederate symbols is not conducive for such an event. Coggins told WSFA-TV that the monument isn't intended to offend anyone, saying "None of my monuments have ever hurt anybody... It's here for our heritage."
The unveiling is set to take place Sunday afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m. at Confederate Memorial Park near the Dry Creek R-V Park in unincorporated Crenshaw County, near Luverne, Ala.