Advocates again push for repeal of law protecting Stone Mountain's status as Confederate memorial

February 16th, 2024

Confederate flag supporters gather at the top of Stone Mountain after hiking up during a rally Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, in Stone Mountain, Ga. The rally was organized in response to a proposal to place a monument dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr. at the top of the mountain. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

The State of Georgia purchased Stone Mountain in the late 1950s in the face of the growing Civil Rights Movement.

It later passed legislation preserving several elements memorializing the Confederacy, backed by the efforts of the Daughters of the Confederacy and supported by the KKK.

Several state House representatives from DeKalb County have introduced House Bill 794, which would repeal the Confederate mandate and refocus Stone Mountain Park as a place for outdoor recreation.

The legislative push is backed by local advocacy groups including the Stone Mountain Action Coalition and Southern Poverty Law Center.

Isabel Otero is the SPLC Action Fund policy director for Georgia. She joined “All Things Considered” to talk about what the organizations hope to accomplish in this legislative session.

Christopher Alston contributed to this report.