Memorandum to: LaToya Cantrell Mayor, City of New Orleans From: Monument Relocation Committee Subject: Recommendation for the Relocation of Beauregard, Davis, and Lee Monuments Date: May 7, 2018 Dear Mayor Cantrell, Please allow us an opportunity to express our gratitude to you for the con?dence you conveyed to this Committee by entrusting it with the charge of considering various non- public property sites for the possible re-erection of the PGT Beauregard, Jefferson Davis, and Robert E. Lee monuments, removed from New Orleans public property in 2017. Although we number only seven, we represent thousands of New Orleanians who care about our city?s cultural heritage, its public art, and the many monuments that have been erected during the past three centuries. Our process included a careful and systematic review of several potential venues. When considering each possible setting, individual committee members utilized a 0-5 scale for the following criteria: 0 Appropriate Context to fit with existing compatible elements 0 Re?erection and plan for display 0 Funding Plan for moving monuments in'or out of city of New Orleans? possession and for re-erection - Security Risks 0 Time Frame 0 Political Challenges 0 Properly signed letters?of-intent from interested parties Be assured that our meetings included dynamic and thoughtful discussion as part of our process. We are pleased and honored to provide you with the following unanimous recommendations: 1. That the City of New Orleans return the beautiful Alexander Doyle equestrian - statue Beauregard to the City Park Improvement Association (CIPA) and allow it to transfer the monument, statue and pedestal, to the Firemen?s Charitable and Benevolent Association of New Orleans* on behalf of Greenwood Cemetery: R.) That the City of New Orleans transfer the Alexander Doyle statue of General Robert E. Lee to the Firemen?s Charitable and Benevolent Association* of New Orleans on behalf of Greenwood Cemetery; 3. That the City of New Orleans transfer the Edward Valentine statue of Jefferson Davis, along with its engraved pedestal to the Beauvoir Corporation* on behalf of Beauvoir, the Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library in Biloxi, Mississippi. *The Beauvoir Corporation, and the iremen?s Charitable and Benevolent Association of New Orleans are 501(3)c corporations, allowing them to accept donations. We believe it is important for you to have this information as you and the new City Attorney explore options for possible transfer of these monuments. Rationale for these Recommendations A. Greenwood Cemetery Greenwood Cemetery offers a place for the Beauregard and Lee statues to be located within a contextualized setting. As previously stated, both of these works of art were created by the famous American sculptor, Alexander Doyle. New Orleans has eight sculptures produced by Mr. Doyle, three of which are in Metairie Cemetery (The Washington Artillery; The Roll Call Statue, and the General Albert Sydney Johnston statue). If the Beauregard and Lee statues were placed in Greenwood Cemetery, along with the existing iremen?s Monument, then Greenwood would also have three important Alexander Doyle works of art. Placing the Beauregard and Lee statues within Greenwood Cemetery will carry a new message to residents and visitors to the City of New Orleans. New Orleans will be viewed as a city that can deal with dif?cult social issues while finding suitable resolutions. New Orleans, and its leadership, will be viewed nationally as a place where art and history are valued. Locating these statues in Greenwood will create a transformation process, since cemeteries convey a sense of peace and finality where humankind meets its common fate. B. Beauvoir, The Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library - Beauvoir is only 85 miles from New Orleans and the City ofNew Orleans and the communities along the Mississippi Gulf coast have enjoyed a close relationship geing back to the early French settlements. The 51-acre site of Beauvoir was the last home of Jefferson Davis. He moved to Beauvoir in 1876 and purchased it in 1879. In 1889, a grave illness brought Davis to New Orleans where he died that same year. 2 Beauvoir recently completed a $12.5 Presidential Library and Museum and it is listed as a National Historic Landmark. Representatives from the Committee met several times with the leadership of both Greenwood Cemetery, and Beauvoir to resolve pertinent issues such as transportation of the monuments from their reSpective current locations, security. Financing exists for removing these three statues and pedestals as soon as the City of New Orleans grants permission. While the Committee regrets the loss ofpublic art, it also acknowledges and welcomes your commitment to find an honorable and respectful location for the two Doyle sculptures and the Valentine sculpture. The Committee hopes this matter can be concluded at our beloved city?s earliest convenience so that its more pressing problems and future needs can be addressed without distractions. Finally, should you desire, the Committee is prepared and willing to meet with you at your convenience. If such a meeting takes place, please know that Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser asked to attend in support of these suggestions. We have kept the Lt. Governor up-to-date on our activities and he is on record stating he will support our recommendations to you. Once again, thank you for the con?dence you showed in assigning us this dif?cult, but rewarding task. We have been honored to do this work on your behalf and we pray you have tremendous success as the newest mayor of the City of New Orleans. Respectfully, Richard Marksbury Charles Marsala Geary Mason Pierre McGraw Mimi Owens Frank Stewart Sally Reeves Attachments: Beauvoir Letter-of-Interest Firemen?s Charitable Benevolent Letter-of?Interest a awn 5190 Canal James F. McKay Ill President . TELEPHONE 504?482-3983 Robert S. Goertz V'ice?Ptesrdent FAX 504-482-9964 1-. Gately, Jr. 2nd vice Brenden: Owners and Operators of the WEBSITE Greenwoodnohmm G- Dam" 3" Vfce'P?esfdm? Cypress Grove and Greenwood Cemeteries Donald E. McKay, 5r Vice PreSIdenl John mesa, Ir. Sweaty - Treasure, And Greenwood Mausoleum Located at and! and City Park A venue New Orleans, La 70124 May 1, 201 8 Mr. Geary Mason 639 Loyola Avenue Suite 200 New Orleans, LA 701 13 Dear Mr. Mason: 1 write to advise that the Board of Administrators of the Firemen?s Charitable and Benevolent Association has voted in favor of the concept of conditionally accepting the Beauregard and Lee monuments at Greenwood. While the CBA is conceptually in favor of these monuments being erected in our cemetery, the Board will have to vote for ?nal approval after the issues of safety, security, transportation, insurance, ownership and long term perpetual care are ?nalized. Our organization?s primary concern is to preserve our purpose of providing a safe, secure and digni?ed place of burial for the citizens of New Orleans and their families. As our organization is not for pro?t, we do not have the means or intention of providing any ?nancial contributions to this effort other than donating extremely valuable real estate for the monuments to sit on. Additionally, as mentioned above, our Board will require some yet to be determined level of ?perpetual care? to be used for maintaining and preservation of the area where the statues will be located. Sincerely, i - as John C. Freese, Secretary Treasurer baaicivorn Thejs??n'arr Data's Home 6 Prwidarzz?a/ Library J.Owen McDowell President, Beauvoir Board of Directors Beauvoir, The Jefferson Davis Home Presidential Library 2244 Beach Boulevard Biloxi, MS 39531 The Honorable Mayor-Elect Latoya Cantrell 1300 Perdido Street NewOrleans, LA 70112 Re: Letter of intent, Jefferson Davis Monument Dear Mayor-Elect Cantrell, We would like to convey to you our interest in the monument of Jefferson Davis that currently resides in your city. Beauvoir, as you may know, was the last home of the only President of the Confederate States, Jefferson Davis. Since 1878, Jefferson Davis resided at Beauvoir, which also served as a home for the Confederate Veterans of the Civil War and their Spouses. Upon approval by the Board of Directors, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and other concerned parties, Beauvoir will assume all responsibilities for the monument. This will include transportation from the current place of storage to our grounds. 2244 Bear/1 Boulevard Brian; 39531 228388-4400 For 228388-7800 A national 11510272 pm/Jery'ry 'Ilze Dru/Isle?, Under/50m of Cozg?xlem/e ii?'lermrs 1m: Letter of Intent 2 Respectfully, @0014 . en Mc Dowel! Acting Executive Director