A monument honoring Rockdale County's Confederate soldiers was placed at the corner of the county courthouse on Main Street on April 26, 1913. On June 30, 2020, just over 107 years later, the monument was removed following an executive order from Rockdale County Commission Chair Oz Nesbitt Sr.

Nesbitt said he had received numerous emails, phone calls and texts from people wanting the monument removed and wanted to follow the "letter of the law" in doing so. But, Nesbitt said, after receiving word about possible threats to the monument, he made the decision to take it down.

Roper and Sons Crane Company began taking the monument down after a brief ceremony at 10 p.m. Tuesday night. Nesbitt said they decided to do it then because they did not want to interrupt court services or downtown businesses during the day, but wanted to give citizens a chance to come out and watch.

Nesbitt said he is in talks with the city of Conyers about placing the monument in the city cemetery. Nesbitt said the monument will be kept in an undisclosed location for it safety until it can be put in a new location.

Senior Reporter

Born and raised in Decatur, Ga. Graduated from Shorter College in Rome, Ga. in 1979 with B.A. in Communications. Worked in community newspapers for 26 years. Started at Rockdale Citizen/Newton Citizen in January 2016.

(7) comments

erf
erf

I propose these Jim Crow monuments, especially the ones with the word "noble" inscribed, be pounded back into sand, but left on the squares - for those who feel the need to keep their head in it.

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Doctroprint
Doctroprint

Give anyone an inch and they will take a mile. Street names, schools, bridge and town names are next. Each removal feeding the power until they come for your thoughts or beliefs. At that point momentum is on their side and they will hunger for the win.

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Henry S
Henry S

Sad day in Rockdale county. The history is erased and it is guarantied to be repeated. The NCAAComunistP and the terrorist defending and promoting DNC have taken over because the American southerners allowed this garbage to take a footprint. in the south. The press is also much to ignorant to actually report the truth not propaganda.

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AJ Wolf
AJ Wolf

Welcome to the bolshevik revolution 2.0.

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DIXIEchick
DIXIEchick

This makes me sick to my stomach, all of it does. Removing or destroying historical monuments has NOTHING to do with police brutality and taking people's lives. I agree things do need to change. The only changes I have seen is destroying or removing anything that has to do with Confederacy, how is that related to the issues with law enforcement. Things do need to change.... In closing white people face racism every day...

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Africanman92
Africanman92

Welp. How are monuments and statues to losers relevant now? The only reason for the statues is keep alive that ideology that the confederacy was founded upon that's where our issues with them lay. But if you had a great grandfather that fought and died for the losing side then I guess I understand why you care so much in 2020.

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Doctroprint
Doctroprint

There is more to life bud than winners and losers. Guess you need a bit more experience to figure that out.

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