WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2020) Authorities of the Alaskan city of Sitka will move the statue of the first Russian America Governor, Alexander Baranov, from downtown to a local history museum by the end of October, the museum's Executive Director Hal Spackman told Sputnik on Wednesday.
"I expect the statue to be re-located to its permanent home in the museum before the end of October," Spackman said.
In July, the city assembly adopted a resolution to relocate the Baranov statue to the Sitka Historical Society Museum, after a group of local activists urged legislators to remove it, citing mistreatment of indigenous people. In 1799, Baranov founded Sitka - called at that time Novo-Archangelsk - as the capital of the Russian colonies in North America.
"We are currently in the process of working with City of Sitka maintenance staff to remove the statue from the rock to which it is affixed and transport it to our museum, which is less than 50 yards from its present location," Spackman said.
A local carpenter will build an appropriate and solid foundation for the statue, he added.
The Russian Cultural Center in Alaska offered assistance with the process of moving and providing information about Baranov, but nothing specific has been discussed so far, the museum's director noted.
"Our organization will welcome any help outside entities can offer," Spackman said.
In July, the Russian Community Council of the USA (RCC), which previously organized a petition and collected almost 6,000 signatures against removing the statue, sent a letter to the museum asking that it cooperate with the Russian diaspora in providing comprehensive information about Baranov to visitors.
Statues of several historical figures associated with racism have been removed, toppled or defaced across the United States amid nationwide protests fueled by multiple police-involved killings of African Americans.
