Memphis Grizzlies rookie guard Ja Morant is asking a Kentucky judge to remove a Confederate statue near his alma mater in downtown Murray, Kentucky.
Morant, 20, spent two years at Murray State before being selected by the Grizzlies with the second overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft.
‘As a young black man, I cannot stress enough how disturbing and oppressive it is to know the city still honors a Confederate war general defending white supremacy and hatred,’ Morant wrote in a letter Thursday to Judge Kenneth C. Imes, per the Paducah Sun.
Grizzlies rookie guard Ja Morant is asking a Kentucky judge to remove a Confederate statue near his alma mater in downtown Murray, Kentucky. Morant, 20, spent two years at Murray State before being selected by the Grizzlies with the second overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft
The statue in question is of Robert E. Lee, which was erected in 1917. It sits outside the Calloway County Courthouse. Although Kentucky was officially neutral in the Civil War, the southern part of the state where Murray sits generally opposed the Union. Multiple Confederate monuments across the United States have been taken down in recent weeks after George Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25. Floyd, a black man, was killed when a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes
‘Given recent events and the Black Lives Matter movement, it’s necessary to act now,’ Morant wrote. ‘We can’t change the culture of racism unless we change the celebration of racism. Please help us take a stand and remove this symbol of hatred and oppression.’
The statue in question is of Robert E. Lee, which was erected in 1917. It sits outside the Calloway County Courthouse.
The Murray City Council has agreed to ‘form a committee that would draft a resolution to remove a statue from the northwest lawn of the Calloway County Courthouse that honors soldiers who fought for the Confederate States of America during the Civil War.’
The letter was sent to Judge Kenneth C. Imes
The resolution must be forwarded to the Calloway County Fiscal Court because, while the monument is in downtown Murray, it’s actually located on County property, according to the Murray Ledger & Times.
Although Kentucky was officially neutral in the Civil War, the southern part of the state where Murray sits generally opposed the Union.
Multiple Confederate monuments across the United States have been taken down in recent weeks after George Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25. Floyd, a black man, was killed when a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes while making an arrest.
Before the season was suspended due to coronavirus, Murray was a top candidate to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award over his former AAU teammate, New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson.
Morant has averaged 17.6 points and 6.9 assists per game in his first season.
He and his Grizzlies teammates are expected to finish the delayed NBA season starting in late July at ESPN’s sports complex at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
A copy of Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant’s letter to Kentucky Judge Kenneth C Imes
