You’ve probably seen the photos. A massive bronze general, arms crossed, staring defiantly toward the North from a 60-foot pedestal. For over 130 years, that was the vibe at Lee Circle in New Orleans. If you were a tourist on a streetcar or a local heading to work, he was just there—a constant, unmoving part of the skyline.
Then, in May 2017, he wasn't.
The removal of the new orleans robert e lee statue wasn't just some quick construction project. It was a whole ordeal. There were snipers on rooftops, death threats against contractors, and a city basically holding its breath for weeks. Honestly, it felt like the Civil War was being re-litigated right there on St. Charles Avenue.
The Moment Everything Changed
So, why did it happen when it did? It’s kinda interesting because the push didn’t start with a politician. It started with a conversation. Mayor Mitch Landrieu later admitted that jazz legend Wynton Marsalis was the one who really got in his ear about it. Marsalis basically asked him why a city that’s 60% Black was still honoring guys who fought to keep people in chains.
Then 2015 happened. The Charleston church shooting changed the national temperature overnight. Suddenly, the "Lost Cause" monuments weren't just old statues; they were seen as active symbols of white supremacy.
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Why the Robert E. Lee Statue Was Different
New Orleans had four Confederate monuments on the chopping block, but the new orleans robert e lee statue was the big one. It was the "boss level" of the removals.
The others—Jefferson Davis, P.G.T. Beauregard, and the Liberty Place monument—came down in the middle of the night. Workers wore tactical gear and masks. They even covered the names on their trucks with cardboard and tape. It was surreal. But for Lee, the city did it in broad daylight.
On May 19, 2017, crews spent hours fiddling with the base. Around 6:00 p.m., the crane finally lifted the 16-foot bronze General off his perch. The crowd below erupted. Some people were crying, others were cheering. It was a heavy moment.
What Most People Get Wrong About the History
There’s a common argument that these statues were put up right after the war to "honor the dead."
But that's not really true.
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The new orleans robert e lee statue wasn't unveiled until 1884. That’s nearly 20 years after the war ended. Historians like those at the University of New Orleans point out that this era—the Jim Crow era—was exactly when these monuments spiked. They weren't just markers of history; they were "keep in your place" signs for the Black community during a time when white Southerners were reclaiming political power.
- The Myth: Lee was a "gentle" general.
- The Reality: He was a man who led an insurrection against the United States to preserve an economy built on human property.
Mayor Landrieu’s famous speech at Gallier Hall hit on this. He basically said that a great nation doesn’t hide its history, but it also doesn't put its flaws on a pedestal.
Where is the Statue Now?
People always ask this. Is it melted down? Is it in a park somewhere?
Actually, it’s basically in "statue jail."
Since 2017, the new orleans robert e lee statue has been tucked away in a secret city warehouse. It’s sitting there alongside Davis and Beauregard. There have been tons of proposals to move it to a museum or a private park, but there’s a catch. The city council made it clear: if it goes anywhere, it can't be displayed outdoors on public land in New Orleans ever again.
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Harmony Circle: The Aftermath
If you go to that spot today, the circle looks different. It isn’t even called Lee Circle anymore. In 2022, the city officially renamed it Harmony Circle. The 60-foot column is still there, but it’s empty.
Actually, it hasn't been completely empty.
There have been temporary art installations. For a while, there was a sculpture by Simone Leigh called Sentinel, which honored African diaspora traditions. More recently, in 2024 and early 2025, the artist Raúl de Nieves put up a massive steel heart for the Prospect.6 triennial.
It’s weird seeing that tall stone pillar without the General on top. It feels like a placeholder for whatever New Orleans decides it wants to be next.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Visit
If you’re heading to New Orleans and want to see the "post-monument" landscape for yourself, here’s how to do it right:
- Ride the St. Charles Streetcar: It passes directly through Harmony Circle. You can see the empty pedestal and the new public art from the window.
- Visit the Cabildo: If you want the real history—unfiltered and messy—the Louisiana State Museum at the Cabildo has exhibits that explain the Civil War and Reconstruction without the "Lost Cause" fluff.
- Check out the New Art: Keep an eye on the Prospect New Orleans schedule. The city is using that space for rotating contemporary art now, so there's usually something cooler than a bronze guy to look at.
- Read the Speech: Seriously, look up Mitch Landrieu’s 2017 monument speech. Regardless of your politics, it’s one of the most significant pieces of Southern oratory in the last 50 years.
The new orleans robert e lee statue might be gone from the skyline, but the conversation it started is still very much alive. Whether you think it was "erasing history" or "correcting a wrong," you can't deny that the city feels different now. It’s a place trying to figure out how to remember the past without being stuck in it.
To get a full sense of the change, take a walk from Harmony Circle down to the Mississippi River. You'll see a city that's finally looking toward its future instead of staring defiantly North.