Confederate Memorial (Arlington National Cemetery)

The Confederate Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery is a monument dedicated to the soldiers of the Confederate States of America. Approved by the U.S. Congress in 1900 and unveiled in 1914, it stands in Section 16 of the cemetery, where Confederate soldiers and their families are buried.

The memorial is a bronze sculpture atop a granite base. The central figure is a female allegorical figure of the South, personifying peace and reconciliation. She holds a laurel wreath and a plow, symbolizing a return to agriculture. Around the base are depictions of various Confederate figures, including soldiers, civilians, and a blacksmith. These figures are meant to represent the diverse roles played in the Confederacy's war effort. The sculpture was designed by Moses Jacob Ezekiel, himself a Confederate veteran.

The inscription on the memorial includes a quote from Isaiah 2:4, "They shall beat their swords into plowshares," and a dedication to the Confederate dead.

Over time, the memorial has become a subject of controversy due to its glorification of the Confederacy, which fought to preserve slavery. Critics argue that its presence in a national cemetery honors a cause that was fundamentally opposed to American values. Calls for its removal have increased in recent years, particularly following events such as the 2015 Charleston church shooting and the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville.

In 2023, the Naming Commission, established by Congress to recommend the removal or renaming of assets commemorating the Confederacy, recommended the memorial's removal. The Department of Defense is currently in the process of implementing these recommendations. Its future status within Arlington National Cemetery remains a topic of ongoing debate and legal challenges.