On Tuesday, the Georgia state Senate approved a bill that would create a statue honoring Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Thomas grew up in Georgia in poverty during the Jim Crow era, which was a time when Democrats enacted state and local laws that enforced racial segregation. Thomas grew up to be the second black justice on the Supreme Court when he was appointed in 1991. However, Democrats oppose honoring Thomas because he is conservative.
The Georgia state Senate voted 32-20 along party lines to support the statue, with Republicans voting in support and Democrats unanimously voting against the move to honor the black justice. The statue would be placed on the grounds of the state capitol building in Atlanta, where there is already a statue of Democrat Governor and President Jimmy Carter.
The bill now moves to the state House for further debate.
Republican state Sen. Ben Watson, who represents Thomas’ birthplace and had known Thomas’ mother, explained the importance of the bill.
“This native son of Georgia deserves a place of honor and recognition on our Capitol grounds, a place where future generations of Georgians can learn valuable lessons from his legacy and gain inspiration and belief that their lofty dreams are obtainable too in America, regardless of the circumstances into which they are born,” Watson told senators.