artist Edward Virginius Valentine was the sculptor of the monument. A stone marker about 20 feet behind the sculpture reads: Site of Jefferson Davis Monument/Dedicated June 3rd 1908.
History
Dedication
The statue itself was dedicated on the 22nd of February, 1911. The "Whites Only" ceremony included a mass of school children dressed in red, white, and blue forming a Confederate "living battle flag", in which formation the sang "Dixie". The date of dedication was said to correspond with the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of Jefferson Davis as President of the Confederate States of America, though the actual anniversary would have been 4 days earlier since Davis's inauguration was on 18 February 1861.
Controversy
Since at least 2003 the statue was the subject of frequent vandalism. After the Charleston church shooting in 2015, a concerted effort was launched to remove several monuments from public spaces in New Orleans, with Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell citing the Jefferson Davis Monument as "the one that really has some momentum around it." A grassroots activist group, Take Em Down NOLA, campaigned for their removal. By decision of the New Orleans City Council in December 2015, the statue was ordered to be removed and stored in a warehouse until another location is sought. Pro-monument supporters bearing Confederate flags and open-carrying firearms, surrounded the monument for weeks. They were confronted by locals who supported removal, and confrontations grew more heated until the City cordoned the area. The New Orleans local chapter of the Green Party of Louisiana issued a statement in support of the removal.
Removal
On May 11, 2017, the statue of Davis was removed, on order from the City, despite the presence of dozens of protesters and supporters. Those removing the statue wore masks and helmets to hide their identities and the company name on their truck was hidden. After the statue's removal, the pedestal and base were also removed, leaving only the foundation. The cost of removing the statue was split between private donations and the City of New Orleans. The statue has been placed in storage at an undisclosed location. The city has stated that it will be relocated, but no specific plans have been announced.
