Remove The Emancipation Memorial/Freedman Statue

Put this in a museum where it belongs. Please remove it from such a public space with no context whatsoever. This has to go now!

I agree--it belongs in a museum.

It is time to move this work to a museum. No man should bow down to any other man. Even the caption makes Lincoln sound like God...(and on the 7th day) he rested from his labor.

Please remove this statue of Lincoln; I agree with Tory Bullock and I would prefer a statue in which the young man is standing beside Lincoln rather than on his knees.

Thank you Tory for leading this cause! This statue should be in a museum with appropriate context.

deeply appreciate hearing Tory Bullock and mightily support his efforts and those working with him

This statue is demeaning and needs to be removed.

Time for this one to go.

The subtle thumb pressing between the shoulder blades of a people...just a reminder..."stay down...don't get to big...remember...do not shine" THIS HAS TO STOP. THIS HAS TO END. NOW.

Without knowing the history of this monument I instantly see a Black man in a subservient position. It makes me sad and angry. As a White person I am reminded of the history of slavery, something that I have the privilege of forgetting if I choose to look away. I do think it is very important for White Americans to constantly remember the brutality that was and is still imposed on Black Americans, but why should Black Bostonians have this reality slapped in their face every time they walk past this statue. There are other ways to teach the truth of American history that doesn't further hurt those who are already hurting.

I just heard the "Here & Now" interview and, while I was aware of this, the interview prompted my immediate signature. I strongly agree that the best solution is moving this piece to a museum where it can be curated properly and replaced with a piece that, as Tory Bullock says. "will represent its original intent.". Thank you!

As Mr. Bullock described in his NPR interview, this Black man will never stand up, and what does that say? Then, the discrepancy in their clothing and stances; the kneeling “freed” slave’s near nakedness vs. Lincoln’s upright, impeccable fashion locks the image of white supremacy and black subservience in a freeze frame visual that many folks find disturbing (to say the least).

I am an older white man. I am an artist. The statue is well intentioned and its meaning is understood. Unfortunately its depiction of a former slave unintentionally denegrades its subject. It should not be destroyed. It should be placed in a museum with accompanying information that gives it context and meaning for our times.

We can do better--let the Black community design a monument that respects and represents their past struggle, their present turmoil, and their hopeful future.

I think you're right. The composition is off. The idea of commemorating emancipation is good. Maybe another monument needs to be designed. This one ought to be in a museum of racist thought in America.

Move it. This statute doesn’t represent equality.

Any white man, regardless of their ideology, publicly depicted as towering over a bent man of color, is bound to give rise to feelings of misplaced white pride and simultaneous feelings of diminishment by people of color. This is not in line with my understanding of inclusive community.

Tory Bullock's interpretation of this statue is is absolutely right-on. His hope to have it removed to an educational museum is a proper solution to this public racist depiction from 1875. Bullock's calm, hilarious, terrible description of going to eat a meal with his family at Legal Seafoods and being confronted with this stunning racist depiction of the Great Emancipator towering over a kneeling, nearly-naked, newly-freed enslaved man was so accurate, so devastating, so painful that I laughed out loud. What can we have been thinking to tolerate this for so long, to not notice the insult to Blacks, even to find it noble? Well, okay, our eyes have been opened since George Floyd's life was extinguished by Minneapolis police a month ago. Once we were blind, but now we see. This monument needs to go someplace else, and its full history should be explained. We CAN learn. We CAN do better. Thanks to NPR for this interview and to Tory Bullock for pressing for positive change.

I love Lincoln but this statue seems demeaning to our African American citizens. How about two men (Lincoln and a freed slave) standing tall with the American Flag flying in the background.

Bravo, Tory! Thank you for initiating this.