Anishinaabek Caucus of the Michigan Democratic Party logo

MONROE/CUSTER

Although George Armstrong Custer distinguished himself as a Union soldier in the Civil War, after the war he fought in the "Indian Wars" aiding in the killing and forcible relocation of Indigenous peoples in the expanding United States. That he’s honored so publicly and ubiquitously in Monroe (Michigan) is an affront, and hurtful, to Indigenous people and should be abhorrent to everyone. Indigenous children, especially, are affected—they feel outside, apart from society in seeing their historical enemies honored while none from their society are held in esteem. 

CUSTER RENAMING

petition to rename Custer airport in Monroe, MI
(city-owned; opened in 1946)

petition for renaming of the Custer Ball
(a little league program started in 1955)

petition for renaming of roads named Custer

petition to rename Custer Elementary School
(Custer was a separate school district established in 1891.)

Chris Franklin speech.pdf

note the angle of many of the shots of the statue

Advocacy to remove the Custer statue has received community support and solidarity from these organizations:


American Indian Veterans of Michigan, Inc.  ❀ Anishinaabek Caucus of the Michigan Democratic PartyArcus Center for Social Justice Leadership (ARCUS)Bay Mills Indian CommunityBlack Lives Matter - KalamazooCass County Michigan Democratic PartyCenter for Change - A Northern Michigan Advocacy GroupCheyenne & Arapaho TribesChippewa County DemocratsCoalition of Natives and AlliesCRAFTEliminating Racism and Creating/Celebrating Equity (ERACCE)Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa IndiansHannahville Potawatomi Indian CommunityIdle No More MichiganKeweenaw Bay Indian CommunityLac Vieux Desert Band of Chippewa Indian CommunityLittle River Band of Ottawa IndiansLittle Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa IndiansMatch-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians AKA Gun Lake TribeMichigan Coalition Against Racism in Sports & MediaMidland County Democratic PartyMonroe County Concerned CitizensMonroe County Positive Action NetworkNative American Student Community Organization Movement (NASCO)National Congress of American IndiansNative Justice CoalitionNottawaseppi Huron Band of the PotawatomiPokagon Band of the PotawatomiSaginaw-Chippewa Indian TribeSault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa IndiansTurtle Island Dreamkeepers of MonroeUnited Tribes of MichiganWashtenaw County Democratic Party

Monroe City Council Meeting, 4/5/21
(anti-Custer comments at 0:34:56 and 1:34:12 of this video)

Write to Monroe City Council members!

Reactions from Monroe residents, 12/13/21

RESOURCES

Good Trouble Monroe - "When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, say something. Do something about it. Get in trouble. Good trouble"  - John Lewis 

CREED (Coalition for Racial Equality, Equity, and Diversity), an MCCC program