Albert Pike Statue Reinstalled in Washington, D.C.

A bronze statue of Confederate General Albert Pike — the only outdoor monument to a Confederate officer in Washington, D.C. — was reinstalled this weekend near Judiciary Square after being toppled, spray‑painted and set on fire during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and held in storage for five years. The National Park Service said the restoration followed federal historic‑preservation obligations and executive directives from the Trump administration to "beautify" and restore pre‑existing statues, and the work was paid for with fee revenues rather than current appropriations. Erected in 1901 at the request of the Freemasons, the Pike monument has long been controversial because of Pike’s Confederate service and disputed allegations of Ku Klux Klan ties. D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton and members of the D.C. Council condemned the reinstallation as "morally objectionable," arguing Confederate monuments belong in museums and that honoring Pike offends the city’s majority‑Black residents and service members. The reinstallation has reignited national debate over how the United States balances federal historic‑preservation law, executive directives and community calls to remove Confederate symbols from public spaces.