Derek Alderman spoke to Jessica Glenza of The Guardian about Nathan Bedford Forrest and how symbols from the Civil War are interpreted. In the article, Alderman says, “There hasn’t always been a critical discussion of how those symbols are used, and how they are used in fact that could create a sense of alienation and pain in certain people.”
Forrest’s history in Tennessee is controversial. The Memphis city council voted unanimously to begin a legal process to exhume Forrest’s remains from a city park, which until two years ago was named after the general. The city is also attempting to remove a statue of Forrest.
July 13 is a state holiday in Forrest’s name.