AUSTIN – Texas House Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) has sent a letter to the Texas State Preservation Board calling for the removal of the “Children of the Confederacy Creed” plaque from inside the Texas Capitol. He stated in his letter that the plaque contains “incorrect information about our history” and called for its removal “as soon as practicable.”
“I applaud Speaker Straus for doing the right thing by calling for the plaque’s removal. The other members of the Texas State Preservation Board are well educated, honest folks. I think once they’ve all taken the time to read the plaque and compare it to the historical record, they will come to the same conclusion Speaker Straus and I did,” stated Representative Eric Johnson in a statement in response to Speaker Straus’ letter.
The plaque was put in place in 1959, nearly 100 years after the end of the Civil War applauding the efforts of the Confederate soldiers. It includes the following statement:
“We, therefore, pledge ourselves to preserve pure ideals; to honor our veterans; to study and teach the truths of history (one of the most important of which is, that the war between the states was not a rebellion, nor was its underlying cause to sustain slavery), and to always act in a manner that will reflect honor upon our noble and patriotic ancestors.”
Rep. Johnson recently posted via Facebook his concerns about the plaque, which he must pass every day on his way to his office at the State Capitol lauding the Confederate efforts. Reportedly Governor Gregg Abbott has agreed to meet with Rep. Johnson to discuss the plaque and other Confederate symbols at the State Capitol. However, as of this morning, the meeting date and time is not confirmed.
This progress comes on the heels of the removal of the statue of General Robert E. Lee in Dallas. Also, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings’ Task Force on Confederate Monuments continues to meet to address the other statutes and monuments throughout Dallas. The committee recently voted to recommend the park revert back to its previous name, Oak Lawn Park. These are decisions Dallas has been slow to arrive at because according to NDG Senior Columnist Ed Gray Dallas is asleep at the wheel of history and justice because it is good for business.
“We still have work to do, obviously, but this is a very positive step in the right direction. With Speaker Straus’s support, I am confident the plaque will come down soon. Once again, Speaker Straus has demonstrated the kind of principled leadership for which he is now known,” Johnson added.
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