IN THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
Title
A RESOLUTION approving language to be included on plaques to be affixed to the statues of Andrew Jackson located outside the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City and the Historic Truman Courthouse in Independence.
Intro
RESOLUTION NO. 20337, December 16, 2019
INTRODUCED BY Jalen Anderson and Crystal Williams, County Legislators
Body
WHEREAS, in commemoration of the naming of the County of Jackson in 1826 in honor of Andrew Jackson, statues in the likeness of Andrew Jackson were authorized and dedicated at the downtown courthouse in Kansas City and the Historic Truman Courthouse in Independence; and,
WHEREAS, it has become clear that the historical record of Andrew Jackson includes not only his decisive actions as a military hero and as the 7th President of the United States but also the evidence of his support of property ownership in perpetuation of the institution of slavery and support for the Indian Removal Act; and,
WHEREAS, the County now desires to acknowledge these aspects of the history of Andrew Jackson’s life and to educate the public on these facts; and,
WHEREAS, the placement of plaques with this information on these statues would help provide a fair and balanced basis for these statues continuing to remain on Jackson County property; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed text of the plaques would read as follows: “In 1826, the Missouri State Legislature named this County after the hero of the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812 - Andrew Jackson - nearly three years before he became the nation’s seventh President. Almost two centuries later, we hold a broader, more inclusive view of our nation. Jackson’s ownership of slaves and his support for the Indian Removal Act are part of his history. The Act forced Native Americans from their home territories so that white settlers could live there and triggered the Trail of Tears, a 1,000-mile march resulting in the death of thousands, including an estimated one-quarter of the Cherokee Nation.
This statue of Jackson reminds us we are on a path that, in the immortal words of Martin Luther King, Jr., bends towards justice. In turn, we must acknowledge past injustices to help us create a greater nation built upon humane policies to light our way and the way of humanity everywhere.
You may be entering this revered building today in a pursuit of truth or justice. Welcome. Your own history is still being written.”; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the County Legislature of Jackson County, Missouri, that the Legislature hereby approves the proposed language set out in this Resolution to be included on plaques to be affixed to the statues of Andrew Jackson located outside the Jackson County courthouses in Kansas City and the Historic Truman Courthouse in Independence; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the materials, appearance, size, method of procurement, and cost of the plaques will be determined at a later time.
Enacted and Approved
Effective Date: This Resolution shall be effective immediately upon its passage by a majority of the Legislature.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
____________________________ ______________________________
Chief Deputy County Counselor County Counselor
Certificate of Passage
I hereby certify that the attached resolution, Resolution No. 20337 of December 16, 2019, was duly passed on December 16, 2019 by the Jackson County Legislature. The votes thereon were as follows:
Yeas _______6________ Nays _______2_______
Abstaining ____1_____ Absent ______0______
________________________ ____________________________
Date Mary Jo Spino, Clerk of Legislature