On Friday, Grizzlies rookie and Murray State star Ja Morant released a letter asking Calloway County Judge Executive Kenneth Imes to remove the Confederate monument of Robert E. Lee located on the courthouse square.
In the letter, Morant says he wants to share his concerns over the "symbol of white supremacy, racism, and hate on display in the community." Morant goes on to ask Imes to immediately remove the monument.
He said, "As a young Black man, I cannot stress enough how disturbing and oppressive it is to know the city still honors a Confederate war general defending white supremacy and hatred."
According to Morant, he is extremely proud of his ties to Murray State and the success the school has positioned him for. He says that given recent events, the city must act now and remove the statue.
"We can't change the culture of racism unless we change the celebration of racism." Morant continued, "Please help us take a stand and remove this symbol of hatred and oppression."
We have reached out to Imes for comment and are awaiting a reply.
We have reached out to Imes for comment and are awaiting a reply.
You can see the full text of the letter below.
To the Honorable Kenneth C. Imes,
My name is Ja Morant. I was a student athlete at Murray State University (2017-2019), member of the Racers OVC Conference Championship basketball team, and the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. I want to introduce myself to you and share my concern about a symbol of white supremacy, racism and hate on display in the community. I am writing to ask that you immediately remove the Confederate statue in the court square of downtown Murray.
I am extremely proud of my ties to Murray State. I am honored to have spent two years at the university. My college experience positioned me for success and truly helped me achieve my dreams. Murray felt like a second home from the minute I stepped on campus and became a part of the Murray State community. It is full of people, families and students from all different backgrounds. As a young Black man, I cannot stress enough how disturbing and oppressive it is to know the city still honors a Confederate war general defending white supremacy and hatred.
Given recent events and the Black Lives Matter movement, it's necessary to act now. We can't change the culture of racism unless we change the celebration of racism. Please help us take a stand and remove this symbol of hatred and oppression.
Sincerely,
Ja Morant
