#521 Removing Racism from Honor July 24, 2020

Removing Racism from Places of Honor If removing statues and renaming things is all that happens, that would be disappointing. But most needed changes will take time. Doing this much is quick, tangible, relatively easy, and long-lasting. There was a 2015 letter to the Smithsonian signed by several Black ministers saying, “We are writing to ask that Margaret Sanger’s likeness be removed . . . Her bust should not be part of the Gallery’s ‘Struggle for Justice’ exhibit.” More recently, interest has revived in moving the bust. This idea received a huge boost from Planned Parenthood itself on July 21. Their center in Manhattan used to be named for Margaret Sanger, but now they’ve removed the name, citing her clearly eugenic and racist views. (See our recent post questioning whether mere reforms can work.)