KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Andrew Jackson statues located at both Jackson County courthouses will remain after voters shot down a ballot measure on Tuesday.
Jackson County voters rejected the measure to remove both the downtown statue and the one outside the Historic Truman Courthouse in Independence with more than 72% of the vote late Tuesday evening.
Calls for the statues to be removed began in June, and two men were arrested for vandalizing the downtown statue on June 25.
The statue, which has been up since 1933, was spray painted with several obscenities, as well the word “slave owner.”
Jackson — the seventh U.S. president, who served from 1829 to 1837 — is among 12 former presidents who owned slaves before the practice was outlawed after the Civil War.
After the vandalism, Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr called for the removal of the statues.
In a statement late Tuesday, White said:
"I am proud to have stood up and stood on behalf of a movement demanding fairness, justice and equality in Jackson County. I remain committed in my belief that the statues of a man who owned slaves, caused thousands of Native Americans to die and never stepped foot in our County should be removed from our public facilities. The statues are not an appropriate representation of who we are and who we strive to be as a community — a community that is welcoming, diverse and open-minded. I have a tremendous amount of respect for our democratic process, and while I may not always agree with the outcome, I believe there is something we can learn from every election. I look forward to engaging in more opportunities to eliminate racism and discrimination in Jackson County as we continue the fight for equal rights and justice for those we serve."
In July, the Jackson County Legislature voted 7-2 to let voters decide on the fate of the statues. Before that, legislators had voted down measures to remove the statues and to establish a committee examining the issue.
—
41 Action News is committed to providing comprehensive information on the 2020 primary and general elections with an emphasis on several key issues — the economy, the COVID-19 pandemic and race relations. Count on us to provide news and information to help you make an informed choice at the polls.