New maps detail the U.S. Army’s plans to reinstall a contentious Confederate memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. This move comes nearly three years after its removal mandated by Congress. On October 15, the Army presented its final design plans to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. These plans show how the bronze sculpture will be restored and returned to Section 16 of the cemetery in 2027, as reported by ABC News.
Map Details and Placement
The Army intends to place the bronze sculpture back in its original location in Section 16, where numerous Confederate soldiers are interred. The bronze elements were dismantled and removed in December 2023, but the original granite base remains. The plans do not include rebuilding the entire monument from scratch. Conservation and refurbishment work will occur before reinstallation, with interpretive materials added to offer historical context about the memorial’s significance.
Image: U.S. Commission of Fine Arts
The proposal was presented to the Commission of Fine Arts, which advises the federal government on design and aesthetics matters in Washington, D.C. The memorial’s return is anticipated in 2027.
Reasons for Initial Removal
The memorial was dismantled in December 2023 following a congressional requirement to remove Confederate monuments from military property. The Army complied with this mandate and completed necessary environmental and historical preservation processes before removing it. This action followed recommendations from the Naming Commission, an independent body reviewing military assets commemorating the Confederacy. The memorial, created by sculptor and Confederate veteran Moses Jacob Ezekiel, had stood at Arlington since 1914.
The monument, commissioned by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, features a bronze female figure symbolizing the South. It includes reliefs of Civil War-era Southern life, featuring enslaved Black Americans, which has faced criticism for romanticizing the Confederacy and minimizing slavery.
Reasons for Reinstallation
The decision to reinstall the sculpture aligns with a policy shift under President Trump’s administration. In 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth moved to restore the memorial, framing its removal as an erasure of American history. In a social media post, Hegseth criticized the removal, promoting the statue as a part of American history worth honoring.
In July 2025, the Army agreed with the Commonwealth of Virginia to loan the sculpture to the Center for Military History for display at Arlington, near Ezekiel’s burial site. The sculpture will undergo thorough conservation and refurbishment, with plans to provide visitors with clear historical context.
The restoration has sparked renewed debate over how the U.S. commemorates the Civil War and the Confederacy. Supporters see the monument as part of the nation’s history, while opponents argue that its reinstallation risks honoring a cause centered on slavery.
Contact Newsweek editors: Ben Kelly and Trevor Davies
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