STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — The board that oversees a park near Atlanta have voted for a new logo that excludes the park’s giant mountainside carving of Confederate leaders.
It’s another change by the Stone Mountain Memorial Association to address criticism of the park’s Confederate legacy.
The previous logo included a picture of the carving of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and generals Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee.
The new logo includes an image of a lake and part of the mountain where the carving isn’t visible.
The association says it’s in final talks with historians to join a committee to create a museum exhibit on the park’s history and its ties to segregation and the Ku Klux Klan.
The Stone Mountain Memorial Association, back in May, met to discuss the potential changes they would make to Stone Mountain Park in an effort to make it more "palatable" to financial investors.
They decided to adopt four new resolutions in an effort to tell a more complete story of its history. The park, which is known for its large rock carvings of Confederate leaders, has faced continuous scrutiny over the years due to the history of the park - and the loss has been financially noticeable for the organization.
According to the park's CEO Bill Stephen, Stone Mountain Park lost $27 million between 2019 and 2020. This created a 56% drop in revenue that "is not sustainable." Stephen's report also announced that Marriot is leaving the park in 2022. The Marriott is the park's only hotel.
“All interested potential vendor/partner replacements indicate they will NOT bid on the RFP without the State of Georgia dealing with issues revolving around the Confederacy,” the report also stated.
Confederate flags currently stand near the bottom of the walk-up trail. The association said while the Confederate flag plaza can't be removed because of the state law protecting monuments, it will be relocated to where there is less foot traffic.
The association also plans to have a bridge at the park that was built by Washington W. King, a prominent African American bridge builder, designated as a federal historic place.