Black leaders in Arizona are pushing Republican Gov. Doug Ducey to remove six Confederate monuments on public land that they say are offensive and glorify the country's racist past.
The push comes as communities along the South wrestle with whether or not to keep longstanding symbols of the Confederacy. Three monuments were removed in New Orleans recently, and Mississippi officials have debated the state flag, which includes the Confederate battle emblem.
In Arizona, leaders from local NAACP chapters said they are calling on Ducey to remove the monuments, including one at the state capitol that was erected in 1961. They also include a marker at Picacho Peak north of Tucson dedicated to Confederate soldiers who defended the area during a battle with Union soldiers and a highway named after Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
Officials in the governor’s office declined to say whether the governor would like to see the monuments removed and names changed.