Statue of Revolutionary War Gen. Philip Schuyler Removed from Albany City Hall

A statue of General Philip Schuyler, who served during the Revolutionary War, has been removed from Albany City Hall in New York.

The statue has stood in front of the Albany City Hall for nearly a century and has been the subject of controversy in recent years due to Schuyler’s ownership of slaves. In 2020, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan (D) signed an executive order to have the statue removed amid pressure from various groups and activists.

“I have signed an Executive Order directing the removal of the statue honoring Maj. Gen. Philip Schuyler – reportedly the largest owner of enslaved people in Albany during his time – from in front of Albany City Hall,” Sheehan said at the time.

“Scores of community members have reached out to my office requesting the removal of the statue,” she also said in a statement.

The statue will now reside in storage and may eventually be given to a museum so it can be displayed with “appropriate historical context.”

Schuyler not only served in the Revolutionary War but also as a member of the Continental Congress before holding office as a U.S. senator.

“The removal of the Philip Schuyler statue does not reform systems or eliminate the racism institutionalized in these systems locally and nationally,” Chief City Auditor Dorcey Applyrs said at the time. “However, it symbolically demonstrates an acknowledgement that slavery was wrong. The removal of this statue also acknowledges the horrific and negative implications of slavery and its impact on the lives of Black Americans in the City of Albany every day.”

Breaking – statue of Gen Philip Schuyler removed from outside Albany City Hall and driven away to be put into storage @WNYT pic.twitter.com/AXqZBYcpCY

— Subrina Dhammi (@SubrinaDhammi) June 10, 2023

Local residents expressed mixed feelings about the statue’s removal while activists were enthusiastic.

“It feels good,” one resident told WNYT. “The people have been listened to, and it feels good.”

WNYT also reported that a time capsule was found at the base of the statue when it was removed.

“We’re happy that the statue has finally come down,” said Dr. Alice Green, Executive Director of the Center for Law and Justice. “I don’t know what they’re going to do with it, but at least it’s not in a public space.”

Capital Region resident Tristan Goss felt a piece of history had been taken.

“In my personal opinion, I don’t think it should be down because it is a statue, and yes, he did bad things, but there are so many statues of other people that did many worse things,” Tristan Goss said. “I understand why they did it because slavery was bad. I’m not saying it’s a good thing, obviously, but my point is it’s part of history.”

Paul Roland Bois joined Breitbart News in 2021. He also directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed on Tubi, Google Play, YouTube Movies, or Vimeo on Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.