MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The remains of General Nathan Bedford Forrest and his wife are set to be removed from Health Sciences Park in Memphis soon.
A controversial figure, Forrest’s statute was removed from Health Sciences Park in 2017, but his remains and those of his wife’s were not. Now years later, the family has agreed to move the remains to Columbia, Tennessee, the home of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Edward Phillips is the attorney representing the family. He said they were shocked when the statue was taken down, but has agreed to move the remains so they can put this all behind them.
“They weren’t prepared for that eventuality at that point in time, right then and there,” he said. “They were upset when on live TV everything was being taken apart.”
“They figured okay, we’ve got to come up with a plan. We have to deal with this in a practical and logical, healing way,” he added.
The transfer was expected to happen as early as mid-February or early March. However, Lee Millar with the Sons of Confederate Veterans said the move is not imminent.
Millar said the earliest it would happen is this summer.
