Walk down Burgundy street in Bywater and, seemingly out of nowhere, an Arc de Triomphe–style monument stands next to a high school football field. Oddly imposing and showing signs of neglect, this is the Ninth Ward Victory Arch, dedicated to the local veterans of WWI. The names on the monument are segregated by race.
Because of this segregation, Take 'Em Down, the group that led a campaign against the city's Confederate memorials, listed this monument as offensive in 2017. Others argue that an explanatory plaque or signage would allow the monument to still honor the soldiers it lists while providing historical context to the public.
