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Taney Statue Draws Controversey in Frederick

government photograph

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) - Frederick city officials are considering a proposal to remove from City Hall a sculpture of the U.S. Supreme Court justice who wrote the 1857 Dred Scott decision affirming slavery.

The plan proposed last week by Alderman Donna Kuzemchak (koo-ZAM'-chak) is on the agenda for Wednesday's workshop meeting of the Board of Alderman. No decision is expected.

Supporters of the proposal say they equate the bust of Roger Brooke Taney (TAW'-ney) with the Confederate battle flag.

Taney was a Calvert County native who practiced law in Frederick before a political career that led to his appointment as the fifth chief justice. The sculpture was erected in 1931.

A previous push to remove the statue ended in a compromise in 2009 when the city added a plaque about the Dred Scott decision.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.