CALL TO ACTION:
Rename Confederate Streets & Venable Lake
We strongly disagree with the claim by the Stone Mountain Memorial Association (SMMA) that their hands are tied by the law in preventing them to take ANY action to address the Confederate symbols at Stone Mountain Park and the hate groups they continue to attract. While HB 277 will eliminate all legal excuses of the SMMA, we must not let up and wait for this bill to make its way through the legislative process (stay tuned!).
Two things that are clearly not protected by any Georgia law relating to Confederate monuments are the names of streets and park features. Stone Mountain Park has at least 6 streets named after Confederate figures and a lake named after the Veneble Brothers who allowed the 1915 Ku Klux Klan cross burning that led to the rebirth of the Klan and granted them perpetual rights to hold meetings at the Park. Their nephew, James Venable became a Klan leader and held rallies at the Park up until the late 1980s.
CALL TO ACTION
EMAIL the Park leadership, board and key sponsors and supporters!
Emails (send one email to all): b.stephens@stonemountainpark.org; e.zimmerman@stonemountainpark.org; d.studdard@stonemountainpark.org; d.blihovde@stonemountainpark.org; rsmith@smithliss.com; jeff.cown@dnr.ga.gov; rmartinez@loganville-ga.gov; rnroberts@windstream.net; ptindol@allgoodpc.com; CCollier@Ely-Corp.com; mark.williams@gadnr.org; shsellman@coca-cola.com; allen.poole@gohs.ga.gov; mjaronski@georgia.org
Sample message: The Stone Mountain Memorial Association can and must change all streets names honoring Confederate figures and Venable Lake that honors the individuals responsible for rebirth and continued presence of the Ku Klux Klan at Stone Mountain Park. These names are insulting and terrorizing to visitors and your employees and are not aligned with the “21st Century Perspective on Stone Mountain Park” you announced that you wanted in November 2020. You are not restricted by any laws to make these changes. Our society now understands that memorializing the Confederacy and promoting myths of the Lost Cause only serve to further divide our community and attract hate groups. I expect a public update on the renaming of the streets and the lake on or before March 15, 2021.
CALL the Park CEO and board chair!
Bill Stephens (Park CEO): (770) 498-5611
Ray Stallings Smith III (Park Board Chair): (404) 760-6006
Brian Kemp (Georgia Governor): (404) 656-1776
Sample script: I am calling to request that the Stone Mountain Memorial Association change all streets names honoring Confederate figures and Venable Lake that honors the individuals responsible for rebirth and continued presence of the Ku Klux Klan at Stone Mountain Park. These names are insulting and terrorizing to visitors and your employees and are not aligned with the “21st Century Perspective on Stone Mountain Park” you announced that you wanted in November 2020. You are not restricted by any laws to make these changes. Our society now understands that memorializing the Confederacy and promoting myths of the Lost Cause only serve to further divide our community and attract hate groups. I expect a public update on the renaming of the streets and the lake on or before March 15, 2021.
SHARE this call to action on social media!
Sample message: Georgia’s public #StoneMountainPark must change the names of streets and lake named after #Confederate and #KKK leaders! EMAIL/CALL park leaders and SHARE this call to action: https://stonemountainaction.org/confederate-kkk-names #SMAC #reclaimOURpark #whoseheritage #bettersouth #exploregeorgia #discoveratl