Jefferson Davis Monument #1 2020

Kris Graves created "Jefferson Davis Monument #1," part of an ongoing project in which he documents Confederate monuments, capturing these contested sites through photography. These monuments, erected long after the Civil War, became symbols of white supremacy, deeply entwined with the Jim Crow era and the oppression of African Americans. Graves captures the monument defaced with graffiti. This act of protest speaks volumes, reflecting a contemporary dialogue around historical memory, race, and public space. The inscriptions are a direct confrontation with the monument's intended message, reclaiming the narrative from its original, biased intent. Graves’ photograph captures a charged moment—a visual intersection where history is questioned and redefined. It invites us to reflect on whose stories are told and remembered in our shared spaces.