Why Understanding Civil War Monuments Matters

Georgia’s legislative session begins January 8. But a bill addressing the debate over Confederate monuments has already been filed by Decatur’s State Representative, Mary Margaret Oliver. The bill would allow local governments to decide whether or not to keep or remove monuments.

How have we been taught to understand the Civil War?

Georgia has about 175 Confederate markers and they are mostly protected by state law. Supporters often say those monuments are about history. But a recent study from Georgia State University study found many people who support the display of the Confederate flag lack basic knowledge of the Civil War. We talk with historians Kevin Levin and Daina Ramey Berry.