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A new statue of Christopher Columbus was installed Sunday on the grounds of the White House complex, constructed in part from fragments of a monument that was destroyed during protests in Baltimore in 2020, according to organizers.
The 13-foot, one-ton statue was placed outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and commissioned by the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations as part of commemorations leading up to the United States’ 250th anniversary.
In a statement Sunday, the White House said, “in this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero, and President Trump will ensure he’s honored as such for generations to come.”
The organization said artists recovered pieces of the original marble Columbus statue from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor after it was toppled and discarded during protests. Those fragments were incorporated into the new monument.
Group leaders said they approached federal officials after Baltimore declined to reinstall the original statue or commission a replacement. Basil Russo, president of the organization, said the monument reflects the historical importance Columbus has held for many Italian Americans.
“Columbus statues have long stood as symbols of pride and cultural identity for more than 18 million Americans of Italian descent,” Russo said in a statement.
He added that Columbus’ legacy became a symbol of unity for Italian immigrants who faced discrimination in the United States, including after the 1891 lynching of Italian immigrants in New Orleans, an event that helped lead to the creation of Columbus Day.
The original Baltimore statue, erected in 1984, was torn down in July 2020 during nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd. Some demonstrators associated with the Black Lives Matter movement argued that Columbus represented the exploitation and mistreatment of Indigenous peoples.
The installation of the new monument follows a proclamation issued last year by President Donald Trump recognizing Columbus as a significant historical figure as part of preparations for the country’s America 250 celebration.