The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that 72 current and former history professors signed a letter recently sent to Gov. Steve Beshear and the Kentucky Historic Properties Advisory Commission, urging officials to take down the statue.
The commission voted 7-2 in early August to keep the statue in the Capitol, where it stands with statues of four other prominent Kentuckians.
The panel also voted to establish a committee to give the statues more historical context Confederate symbols have come under increased public scrutiny since the June massacre of nine black worshippers at a church in Charleston, South Carolina.
___ Information from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com