Maps Show Plans For Confederate Memorial's Return To Arlington

New maps show how the U.S. Army plans to reinstall a controversial Confederate memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, nearly three years after it was removed under a congressional mandate.

The Army presented its final design plans to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts on October 15, outlining how the bronze sculpture will be restored and returned to Section 16 of the cemetery in 2027, as reported by ABC News.

The proposal details the memorial's planned placement, elevation and installation, as the Trump administration moves forward with reversing its removal in December 2023.

Newsweek contacted Arlington National Cemetery via email on Sunday for comment.

What Do the Maps Show?

The Army's plans call for the return of the bronze sculpture to its original location in Section 16, where hundreds of Confederate soldiers are buried.

The sculpture will be placed on the memorial's existing granite base, which remained after the bronze elements were dismantled and removed in December 2023. The Army does not plan to rebuild the entire monument from scratch.

The design includes conservation and refurbishment work before the sculpture is reinstalled. The Army also plans to provide interpretive material to give visitors historical context about the memorial and its significance.

The plans were presented to the Commission of Fine Arts, which advises the federal government on matters of design and esthetics in Washington D.C.

The memorial is expected to return in 2027.

Why Was the Confederate Memorial Removed?

The memorial was dismantled in December 2023 after Congress required the removal of Confederate monuments from military property.

The Army said it complied with the congressional mandate and completed the required environmental and historic-preservation processes before removing the bronze elements.

The removal followed recommendations from the Naming Commission, an independent body established to review military assets commemorating the Confederacy.

The memorial had stood at Arlington since 1914. Created by Moses Jacob Ezekiel, a sculptor and Confederate veteran, it was commissioned by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and dedicated during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson.

The monument depicts a bronze female figure representing the South above a series of reliefs showing scenes of Southern life during the Civil War. Among the figures are enslaved Black Americans, imagery that has drawn criticism from historians and opponents who argue that the memorial romanticizes the Confederacy and minimizes slavery.

Why Is the Memorial Coming Back?

The decision to return the sculpture follows a shift in policy under President Trump's administration.

In 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth moved to restore the memorial, framing its removal as an attempt to erase American history.

In a social media post last year, as reported by ABC News, Hegseth said the Arlington statue "never should have been taken down by woke lemmings. Unlike the Left, we don’t believe in erasing American history, we honor it."

In July 2025, the Army entered into an agreement with the Commonwealth of Virginia to loan the sculpture to the Center for Military History for display at Arlington, near Ezekiel's burial site.

The Army says the sculpture will undergo comprehensive conservation and refurbishment before being returned. It has also said it will develop interpretive content intended to give visitors clear and accurate historical context.

The restoration has reopened debate over how the United States commemorates the Civil War and the Confederacy, particularly at Arlington, one of the country's most prominent military cemeteries.

Supporters of the return argue that the monument is part of the nation's history and should be preserved. Critics say reinstalling it risks honoring a cause founded on the preservation of slavery and overlooking the experiences of the people enslaved under the Confederacy.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and Trevor Davies