--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We've got to replace the statues of…" description: "\"We've got to replace the statues of Jefferson Davis and JZ George in the U.S. Capitol, and the people of Mississippi ought to have a say in it.\" — Mike..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/mike-espy-6672_davis_we-ve-got-to-replace-the-statues-of-jeff_745997.jpg" --- # We've got to replace the statues of Jefferson Davis and JZ… ![“We've got to replace the statues of Jefferson Davis and JZ George in the U.S. Capitol, and the people of Mississippi ought to have a say in it.” quote by Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/mike-espy-6672_davis_we-ve-got-to-replace-the-statues-of-jeff_745997.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/mike-espy-6672_davis_we-ve-got-to-replace-the-statues-of-jeff_745997.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/mike-espy-6672_davis_we-ve-got-to-replace-the-statues-of-jeff_745997.jpg) > “We've got to replace the statues of Jefferson Davis and JZ George in the U.S. Capitol, and the people of Mississippi ought to have a say in it.” [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates removing Confederate symbols from the Capitol and giving Mississippi residents a voice in the decision **In simple terms:** Calls for replacing Jefferson Davis and JZ George statues with public input Key Takeaway Promote democratic involvement in historical representation Themes remembrance democracy public participation Mood reflective determined Type political activist When to use this quote - state legislature debates - public petitions - museum curation - educational curricula Key Concepts historical memory civic engagement representation Questions to Reflect On - How should communities decide which monuments stay? - What processes ensure inclusive decision‑making? A Different Perspective Opposition may view removal as erasing history rather than contextualizing it ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mississippi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mississippi/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [“King had marched six weeks earlier through the Mississippi town where the civil rights workers Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner were murdered. He had called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/king-had-marched-six-weeks-earlier-through-the-mississippi-town-where/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [Of course, Mississippi participates in federal matching programs for everything from preserving the post-Civil War home of Jefferson Davis to beaver control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-musgrove/of-course-mississippi-participates-in-federal-matching-programs-for/) [Ronnie Musgrove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-musgrove/) > [The platform we had in Dallas, the 1984 Republican platform, all the ideas we supported there - from tax policy, to foreign policy; from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-lott/the-platform-we-had-in-dallas-the-1984-republican-platform-all-the/) [Trent Lott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-lott/) > [“I think the people from Mississippi ought to come to Chicago to learn how to hate." Martin Luther King, Jr. after the violent reception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/i-think-the-people-from-mississippi-ought-to-come-to-chicago-to-learn/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [My passion comes from the things that have historically happened to black people in Mississippi. I can honestly say that most of the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-banner/my-passion-comes-from-the-things-that-have-historically-happened-to/) [David Banner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-banner/) > [I know lots of people in Mississippi who have lost their jobs trying to register to vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/i-know-lots-of-people-in-mississippi-who-have-lost-their-jobs-trying/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [You can tell this by the program the federal government had to train 2,400 tractor drivers. They would have trained Negro and white together,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/you-can-tell-this-by-the-program-the-federal-government-had-to-train/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [The people of Mississippi, black and white, and young and old, can be proud of a banner that puts our faith front and center.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/the-people-of-mississippi-black-and-white-and-young-and-old-can-be/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [The people of Mississippi can't just go home, shut down their small business, shut down their restaurants, shut down their gyms... and just think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/the-people-of-mississippi-can-t-just-go-home-shut-down-their-small/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [These people in Mississippi State, they are not "down"; all they need is a chance. And I am determined to give my part not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/these-people-in-mississippi-state-they-are-not-down-all-they-need-is/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [The people of Mississippi overwhelmingly voted to keep our flag in 2001. I oppose unilateral action by the governor or the Legislature or any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/the-people-of-mississippi-overwhelmingly-voted-to-keep-our-flag-in/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [We don't need union bosses to tell us how to take care of our people. We never have, and we never will in Mississippi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/we-don-t-need-union-bosses-to-tell-us-how-to-take-care-of-our-people/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) > [The average Southerner has the speech patterns of someone slipping in and out of consciousness. I can change my shoes and socks faster than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/the-average-southerner-has-the-speech-patterns-of-someone-slipping-in/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [“When Lincoln was running for the House of Representatives from Illinois, he was charged with being “a scoffer at religion,” wrote the historian William…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/when-lincoln-was-running-for-the-house-of-representatives-from/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [“Okay, first of all, they don't "consider" Jefferson Davis racist, he was President of the Confederacy, his racism is not up for any sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-kirk/okay-first-of-all-they-don-t-consider-jefferson-davis-racist-he-was/) [T.J. Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-kirk/) ## More by Mike Espy > [If you're going to get elected to anything in Mississippi, you have to pay attention to and court the black vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/if-you-re-going-to-get-elected-to-anything-in-mississippi-you-have-to/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [What better symbol of unity, what better symbol of growth, than to have Mike Espy in the United States Senate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/what-better-symbol-of-unity-what-better-symbol-of-growth-than-to-have/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [I am an African American public official operating in an environment dominated by Caucasians. That is not too dissimilar from what I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/i-am-an-african-american-public-official-operating-in-an-environment/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [I really don't need anyone to come to Mississippi to generate a vote for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/i-really-don-t-need-anyone-to-come-to-mississippi-to-generate-a-vote/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [There are some farmers who have been terribly discriminated against by the USDA. They've suffered tremendous losses and pain and anguish, and they deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/there-are-some-farmers-who-have-been-terribly-discriminated-against/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [While we march in the streets making our voices heard, we must also march to the ballot box. That's where the real change happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/while-we-march-in-the-streets-making-our-voices-heard-we-must-also/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [We made mistakes in 2018, as a candidate and as a campaign. I had not campaigned in 25 years, and people forgot me, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/we-made-mistakes-in-2018-as-a-candidate-and-as-a-campaign-i-had-not/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [I'm the proud father of three Black children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/i-m-the-proud-father-of-three-black-children/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [There's no way that I could be a congressman in a California district at 32.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/there-s-no-way-that-i-could-be-a-congressman-in-a-california-district/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [It's hard to pick yourself up and go vote for a candidate if you don't have any sense that that candidate could have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/it-s-hard-to-pick-yourself-up-and-go-vote-for-a-candidate-if-you-don/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [You've got to know what you need to correct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/you-ve-got-to-know-what-you-need-to-correct/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [I am dedicated to expanding Medicaid in Mississippi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/i-am-dedicated-to-expanding-medicaid-in-mississippi/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [I'm a frustrated artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/i-m-a-frustrated-artist/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [The United States has taken pride in maintaining the 'safest food supply in the world.' And we can still have it, as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/the-united-states-has-taken-pride-in-maintaining-the-safest-food/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) > [I am a lifelong Mississippian. I remember Jim Crow, 'colored' and 'white' water fountains, and my mother's inability to try on a dress in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/i-am-a-lifelong-mississippian-i-remember-jim-crow-colored-and-white/) [Mike Espy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) [Explore all 98 Mike Espy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/) ## More Davis quotes > [I know there'll be comparisons, but I consider it an honor to be compared to Audrey Hepburn. She's a legend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-oxenberg/i-know-there-ll-be-comparisons-but-i-consider-it-an-honor-to-be/) [Catherine Oxenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-oxenberg/) > [Miles Davis himself, I discovered him when I was 15, and he rocked my world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mclaughlin/miles-davis-himself-i-discovered-him-when-i-was-15-and-he-rocked-my/) [John McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mclaughlin/) > [“Also, can we take a moment to appreciate the fact that there has never been and probably will never be another actress as thoroughly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-heffington/also-can-we-take-a-moment-to-appreciate-the-fact-that-there-has-never/) [Rachel Heffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-heffington/) > [“Katharine Hepburn is tall—not as tall as she thinks she is, but tall.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garson-kanin/katharine-hepburn-is-tall-not-as-tall-as-she-thinks-she-is-but-tall/) [Garson Kanin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garson-kanin/) > [“Stole this from a lizard for you - D”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/stole-this-from-a-lizard-for-you-d/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I felt Michael Jackson was inspired a little bit more from the elegance of a Fred Astaire. Michael loved Sammy Davis, Jr. and James…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-ortega/i-felt-michael-jackson-was-inspired-a-little-bit-more-from-the/) [Kenny Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-ortega/) > [Phoebe Wolkind Ephron cracked wise like Dorothy Parker and looked like Katharine Hepburn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hallie-ephron/phoebe-wolkind-ephron-cracked-wise-like-dorothy-parker-and-looked/) [Hallie Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hallie-ephron/) > [She held herself very straight, like Audrey Hepburn, whom all women idolize and men never think about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/she-held-herself-very-straight-like-audrey-hepburn-whom-all-women/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [I never considered Miles Davis a perfectionist; I always considered him as an excellence-ist, where deviation is actually kind of cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-never-considered-miles-davis-a-perfectionist-i-always-considered/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [Who is Katharine Hepburn? It took me a long time to create that creature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/who-is-katharine-hepburn-it-took-me-a-long-time-to-create-that/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [If we are going to list guitar influences, the biggest one by far is Wes Montgomery. Also, Gary Burton was obviously huge for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/if-we-are-going-to-list-guitar-influences-the-biggest-one-by-far-is/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [I remember plastering the kitchen with Black Power pictures of Angela Davis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-remember-plastering-the-kitchen-with-black-power-pictures-of-angela/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [I was supposedly named after the Bette Davis character in 'The Letter' by my sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-uggams/i-was-supposedly-named-after-the-bette-davis-character-in-the-letter/) [Leslie Uggams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-uggams/) > [“At the time, I thought if Stan Davis wanted to live on Green Valley Road, or in the Hundred-Acre Wood, that was his right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/at-the-time-i-thought-if-stan-davis-wanted-to-live-on-green-valley/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [Miles Davis is a major influence of mine in terms of the way that I am as a bandleader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefon-harris/miles-davis-is-a-major-influence-of-mine-in-terms-of-the-way-that-i/) [Stefon Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefon-harris/) Browse all 193 Davis quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We've got to replace the statues of Jefferson Davis and JZ George in the U.S. Capitol, and the people of Mississippi ought to have a say in it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mike Espy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/we-ve-got-to-replace-the-statues-of-jefferson-davis-and-jz-george-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Davis" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/we-ve-got-to-replace-the-statues-of-jefferson-davis-and-jz-george-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/mike-espy-6672_davis_we-ve-got-to-replace-the-statues-of-jeff_745997.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/mike-espy-6672_davis_we-ve-got-to-replace-the-statues-of-jeff_745997.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/mike-espy-6672_davis_we-ve-got-to-replace-the-statues-of-jeff_745997.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We've got to replace the statues of Jefferson Davis and JZ George in the U.S. Capitol, and the people of…” — Mike Espy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mike Espy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-espy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We've got to replace the statues...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/we-ve-got-to-replace-the-statues-of-jefferson-davis-and-jz-george-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-espy/we-ve-got-to-replace-the-statues-of-jefferson-davis-and-jz-george-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```