A service of Salisbury University and University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Support Provided By: (Sponsored Content)

Taney Statue Draws Controversey in Frederick

government photograph

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) - Frederick city officials are considering a proposal to remove from City Hall a sculpture of the U.S. Supreme Court justice who wrote the 1857 Dred Scott decision affirming slavery.

The plan proposed last week by Alderman Donna Kuzemchak (koo-ZAM'-chak) is on the agenda for Wednesday's workshop meeting of the Board of Alderman. No decision is expected.

Supporters of the proposal say they equate the bust of Roger Brooke Taney (TAW'-ney) with the Confederate battle flag.

Taney was a Calvert County native who practiced law in Frederick before a political career that led to his appointment as the fifth chief justice. The sculpture was erected in 1931.

A previous push to remove the statue ended in a compromise in 2009 when the city added a plaque about the Dred Scott decision.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.
Help us continue our comprehensive coverage of the Delmarva Peninsula and the mentoring of the broadcasters and journalists of tomorrow by becoming a sustaining member of Delmarva Public Media
Latest from NPR