Tennessee Senate Bill SB1097

Tennessee 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/31/23
• Failed: 3/21/23

Caption

AN ACT relative to the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest in the Tennessee State Museum.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would result in a significant transfer of responsibility for the bust from a state-managed facility to a private organization. It explicitly states that Tennessee taxpayer funds will no longer be utilized for any aspect of the display, storage, or maintenance of the bust, effectively privatizing its care. This might set a precedent for how historical artifacts related to contentious figures from the Civil War era are managed and funded within Tennessee and potentially other states.

Summary

Senate Bill 1097 seeks to address the status of the bust of Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest in the Tennessee State Museum. The bill proposes that the bust, which was commissioned in 1977 and donated by a local Sons of Confederate Veterans group, be transferred from the state museum to the control of the Sons of Confederate Veterans organization. This change aims to remove state involvement in the display and maintenance of the bust, thereby shifting the responsibility entirely to the nonprofit organization.

Contention

The legislation has been met with mixed reactions. Proponents argue that the bill honors the wishes of the donors who wish to see the bust properly managed by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. However, opponents express concern that commemorating such a controversial figure could endorse divisive sentiments and overlook broader societal impacts. The debate surrounding this bill highlights ongoing tensions regarding how history, particularly related to the Confederacy, is presented and interpreted in public spaces.