JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Two rallies took place at the same time in one day at City Hall. People were on the steps, protesting to bring attention to confederate monuments that haven't been removed in the city.
On the day of Jacksonville's bicentennial celebration ringing in the city's birthday, a protestor held a large sign, reading "200 years of racism in Jax."
The protest's goal was to educate the public about confederate monuments in Jacksonville and the dark history behind them, Wells Todd, an organizer with Take Em Down Jax said.
He says he feels the black community continues to be disrespected by decisions made by the city involving the confederate monuments.
The bottom line is that we have to be honest, Ben Frazier, founder of the Northside Coalition, said.
Frazier says it's been "200 years of racial inequality, 200 years of racial hatred," and its time for that to change.
Todd says the confederate monuments need to be taken down.
"A lot of people who are here today have no idea the background story of the story of statues and monuments that have been put up. These statues were put up to intimidate the African American community. They were put up to send a strong message that after Reconstruction, after it was destroyed by rich landowners, white supremacy was back in full force," he said.
Activists had a message: the city needs change, and it starts with removing confederate monuments out the city.