弗朗西斯·斯科特·基的雕像因创作《星条旗》而闻名,但它是一个奴隶主,在旧金山反对种族不公正的示威游行中被抗议者推倒。
在1812年战胜英国之后,在麦克亨利堡战役中,他看到一面美国国旗飘扬,之后他写了《星条旗》。他写的台词变成了国歌。
然而,根据史密森尼学会的说法,凯伊是奴隶的主人,在法庭上捍卫奴隶主拥有人类财产的权利,他的歌词包括“自由的土地”。
2020年6月19日,旧金山金门公园,抗议者走向弗朗西斯·斯科特·基雕像。大卫·赞德曼通过路透社
这座雕像被推倒之际,正值乔治·弗洛伊德(George Floyd)因反对系统性种族主义和警察暴行而在警方拘留期间遇害后,世界各地爆发抗议活动。
在一些抗议活动中,与奴隶主或邦联有关的纪念碑被推倒了。
截至周五下午,至少有22个城市已经移除或批准移除邦联纪念碑。其中最具争议的是弗吉尼亚州里士满的罗伯特·李雕像,它被卷入了一场法律诉讼。
Protesters bring down statue of Francis Scott Key
The statue of Francis Scott Key, who is known for writing "The Star-Spangled Banner" but was a slave owner, was toppled by protesters in San Francisco during demonstrations against racial injustice.
Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner" after he saw an American flag flying at the Battle of Fort McHenry following a victory over the British in the War of 1812. The lines he wrote turned into the national anthem.
However, Key -- whose lyrics include "land of the free" -- was an owner of slaves and defended in court slaveholders' rights to own human property, according to The Smithsonian.
The toppling of the statue comes amid protests that erupted across the world after the death of George Floyd, who was killed in police custody, against systemic racism and police brutality.
During some of those protests, monuments related to slave owners or the Confederacy have been toppled.
As of Friday afternoon, at least 22 cities had either removed or approved the removal of Confederate monuments. The most controversial of those memorials, the Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond, Virginia, is caught up in a legal battle.