Crime & Public Safety
Crime & Public Safety

After Charlottesville, a new debate over Confederate symbols

Alan Keck (left) debates Katie Kurumada on Boulevard in Grant Park. They are discussing the proposed name change of Confederate Avenue. John Spink/AJC
Alan Keck (left) debates Katie Kurumada on Boulevard in Grant Park. They are discussing the proposed name change of Confederate Avenue. John Spink/AJC
By Christian Boone
Aug 15, 2017

They thought they were defacing a Confederate memorial.

Instead, protesters who marched from downtown Atlanta to Piedmont Park Sunday night damaged a statue dedicated to reconciliation.

The Peace Monument will survive, but, after last weekend’s tragic events in Charlottesville, other symbols of Atlanta’s Confederate heritage may not be so lucky.

Petition circles to remove Confederate Memorial in Decatur.

Mayor Kasim Reed said Monday he'll decide soon whether to rebrand an Atlanta road. Activists have also set their sights on a statue in Decatur. Those decisions may very well set off a chain reaction that could transform the city's landscape.

For more on this story about the battle between the past and present, visit myajc.com.

About the Author

A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.

Follow Christian Boone on twitter
More Stories

The Latest

(Photo Illustration: Philip Robibero / AJC | Source: Getty, Unsplash)

Credit: Philip Robibero / AJC

Homicides down, police staffing up heading into Atlanta’s elections

Cobb mother gets 50 years in prison for toddler’s fentanyl death

Georgia judge resigns after Florida strip club arrest

Featured

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney — pictured during a hearing Monday, Dec. 15, 2025 — has cleared the way for Georgia's State Election Board to obtain Fulton ballots and other documents from the 2020 election. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Judge keeps alive subpoenas of Fulton County’s 2020 ballots

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney clears the way for Georgia's State Election Board to obtain Fulton ballots and other documents from the 2020 election.

Winter’s here, but warmer forecast means snow is far from certain

Despite recent frigid temperatures, this season might feel more like a typical late fall in the Peach State, making for slim chances to see any snow.

Philanthropy helped shape Atlanta. Here’s how that legacy endures.

Philanthropy helped shape Atlanta. And foundation-giving has had huge ripple effects not only in the metro area, but far beyond Georgia.