Augusta’s Melville Fuller Statue To Be Moved

According to the KJ, on Tuesday, the Kennebec County Commissioners voted unanimously to move a statue of Melville Fuller.

The state, which has been in front of the Kennebec County courthouse since 2013, depicts former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Melville Fuller.

But, who was Melville Fuller and why do people want the statue removed?

According to Fuller's bio on Wikipedia, he was born in Augusta on February 11th, 1833.  After graduating from Bowdoin College, he opened a law practice in Chicago.  Additionally, he was a newspaper editor, served as the campaign manager for Stephen A. Douglas's 1860 run for the presidency, and he served as a term in the Illinois House of Representatives.  In 1888, he was appointed the Chief Justice of the United States.  He served in that capacity until his death in 1910.

So, what makes him controversial?

In 1896, he presided over Plessy V. Ferguson, a case that upheld "separate but equal" racial segregation laws.  It is widely believed to be one of the worst rulings the court ever made.

Following the Black Lives Matter events of the Summer of 2020, the Maine Judicial Branch requested the statue be moved.

What's next?

More meetings will need to held to determine exactly what will be done with the statue.

What do you think should be done with the statue?  Should it be moved to a museum?  Sold?  Scrapped?  Let us know through our app or on Facebook.

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