Last month, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu (D) gave an address on the removal of confederate monuments in his city, which garnered national attention. His speech addressed the all too often ignored history of slavery, the confederacy, and the legacy of white supremacy in America. Notably, he made a call to action for progress in honoring our diversity not just in his city, but nationwide.
“This is not just about statues, this is about our attitudes and behavior as well. If we take these statues down and don’t change to become a more open and inclusive society this would have all been in vain.
“ … [This is] a message about the future, about the next 300 years and beyond; let us not miss this opportunity New Orleans and let us help the rest of the country do the same. Because now is the time for choosing. Now is the time to actually make this the City we always should have been, had we gotten it right in the first place.”
The Center for American Progress will host Mayor Landrieu, who will deliver keynote remarks on his decision to take down the confederate monuments, followed by an armchair discussion with the mayor and CAP’s own president and CEO, Neera Tanden, on the sentiments he expressed in his speech and the future of a movement for unity while honoring our diversity and acknowledging our shared history.