Civil War memorial controversy

WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Barack Obama decided to continue a controversial presidential tradition of honoring southern Civil War soldiers Monday by sending a wreath to Arlington National Cemetery’s Confederate Memorial, according to the White House.

The president also decided, however, to start what may become a new tradition by sending a wreath to the African-American Civil War Memorial at Vermont Avenue and U Street Northwest in Washington.

Critics had called for an end to the longtime presidential practice of laying a wreath at the Confederate site. Last week, roughly five dozen professors sent a letter to Obama calling the tradition offensive to African-Americans.

Some observers recently suggested adding the recognition of the African-American memorial as a possible compromise.

Monday morning, the president made the traditional visit to Arlington’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to place a wreath.

In addition to the Confederate Memorial and the African-American Civil War Memorial, wreaths also were sent to be placed on the mast of the USS Maine and the Spanish-American War Memorial, both in Arlington National Cemetery.
–CNN’s Emily Schultze contributed to this report

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