Statement on Jefferson Davis and Woodrow Wilson Statues Relocation

“President Fenves’ decision to move the Jefferson Davis statue to UT’s Dolph Briscoe Center for American History is both the right course forward and consistent with the law”, the press release said.

The University of Texas at Austin will delay its plan to relocate the statues of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in response to a request for a temporary restraining order by the Texas division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

While a judge did not grant the Friday request, UT “voluntarily agreed” to put the move on hold until after it could meet and, officials hope, reach an understanding with the Confederate Veterans group, Susswein added.

The statue had been targeted by vandals and had come under increasing criticism as a symbol of racism.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans also said in the restraining order that the University can not remove the statue without the approval of the Texas Legislature, the Texas Historical Commission, or the State Preservation Board.

Marshall Davis, Sons of Confederate Veterans spokesman, said the organization filed the restraining order because of how quickly the statue relocation unfolded since a task force recommended it be relocated Monday. “It wouldn’t matter if I knew with 99 percent certainty that we’d be blown out of the water in court”. The court said in a 5-4 ruling that Texas can limit the content of licenses plates because they are state property and not the equivalent of bumper stickers.

A court hearing is expected next week but has not yet been set. There are four other Confederate figures’ statues on campus, which are to remain in place for now.

A statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis is on the main… “James Stephen Hogg, Albert Sidney Johnston, and John Reagan had deep ties to Texas”, UT President Gregory Fenves wrote in a letter addressed to the UT community.