UWS Teddy Roosevelt Statue Is Coming Down After Final Vote

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The removal of the controversial Theodore Roosevelt statue in front of the American Museum of Natural History is finally official after the New York City Public Design Commission voted unanimously on Monday to relocate the statue.

The statue of Roosevelt on a horse with a figure of a Native American and a Black man on either side of him will be sent to an institution dedicated to the former president's life, but the exact institution is not yet decided.

The final vote in the process to remove the Upper West Side statue comes after years of criticism that the statue puts forth an image of racism and colonization, and does not align with the American Museum of Natural History's mission.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Roosevelt family have both supported the removal of the statue, with the family stating that it does not represent the former president's legacy.

“The understanding of statues and monuments as powerful and hurtful symbols of systemic racism became even more evident in the wake of the movement for racial justice that emerged after the murder of George Floyd,” Dan Slippen, vice president of government relations at the museum, said at Monday's meeting. “It has become clear that removing the statue would be a symbol of progress toward an inclusive and equitable community.”

The Public Design Commission's unanimous vote to remove the statue comes after the Landmarks Preservation Commission and the Upper West Side's Community Board 7 reviewed and agreed to the removal.

The bronze figure of Roosevelt won't be replaced by another statue, but a subtle text carved into the plaza with a brief history of the "Equestrian Statue of Theodore Roosevelt." A set of stairs from the sidewalk level will also be connected with the main staircase to the entrance doors.

Read More:

• UWS Community Board Agrees To Remove Teddy Roosevelt Statue
• Landmarks To Discuss Removal Of Teddy Roosevelt Statue From UWS