The American Museum of Natural History’s sculpture of the ex-president, flanked by a Native American man and an African man, will be sent to an inst

Unanimous Vote Is Final Step Toward Removing Roosevelt Statue

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2021-06-26 23:30:04

The American Museum of Natural History’s sculpture of the ex-president, flanked by a Native American man and an African man, will be sent to an institution dedicated to his life.

After more than a year of talk, it’s official: The Theodore Roosevelt statue in front of the American Museum of Natural History is coming down.

The New York City Public Design Commission voted unanimously at a public meeting on Monday to relocate the statue by long-term loan to a cultural institution dedicated to the life and legacy of the former president. (No institution has been designated yet, and discussions about its ultimate destination are ongoing.)

The vote follows years of protest and adverse public reaction over the statue as a symbol of colonialism, largely because of the Native American and African men who are depicted flanking Roosevelt on a horse. Those objections led the museum in June 2020 to propose removing the statue. New York City, which owns the building and property, agreed to the suggestion, and Mayor Bill de Blasio expressed his support.

In 2017, a mayoral commission set up to review city art, monuments and markers had considered historical research about the statue but could not reach a consensus on removing it.