Was it justice or injustice that he stood for? The Edward Douglass White Statue once stood here. It honored a man who served as both an Associate Justice and Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Edward Douglass White Jr. was a Louisiana native. He served on the Supreme Court for 27 years.
White’s life was complex. He fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War. Later he became a U.S. Senator and Supreme Court Justice. His legacy is now viewed through a more critical lens.
Born in 1845 near Thibodaux Louisiana Edward Douglass White Jr. came from a prominent family. His father Edward Douglass White Sr. was a former governor and U.S. Representative. White Jr. attended Georgetown University. His studies were interrupted by the Civil War.
White enlisted in the Confederate States Army. He served as a lieutenant. After the war he studied law and began his political career. He served in the Louisiana State Senate and on the Louisiana Supreme Court. In 1891 he was elected to the U.S. Senate.
President Grover Cleveland appointed White as an Associate Justice in 1894. Later President William Howard Taft elevated him to Chief Justice in 1910. He was the first sitting associate justice to be appointed chief justice.
White’s Supreme Court tenure was marked by significant cases. He sided with the majority in Plessy v. Ferguson. This upheld segregation. He also delivered opinions in cases like Guinn v. United States. This invalidated grandfather clauses that disenfranchised black voters.
White’s legacy is now controversial because of his views on segregation. The Edward Douglass White Statue stood as a reminder of this complicated past.
In December 2020 the statue was removed from its prominent position in front of the Louisiana Supreme Court. It was relocated inside the building near the court’s museum. This decision reflected changing attitudes toward historical figures who upheld segregation.
The removal of the Edward Douglass White Statue sparked debate. Some argued it was necessary to remove a symbol of white supremacy. Others felt it was an attempt to erase history.
Today the statue is located inside the Louisiana Supreme Court building. A sign about White’s accomplishments and legacy is displayed nearby. This aims to provide context to his judicial service.
Edward Douglass White died in 1921. He left behind a complex legacy. His life reflects the contradictions of his time. The statue serves as a reminder. It reminds us of the ongoing struggle for equality and justice. It also forces us to reckon with the complicated figures of our past.