A new Confederate monument has been dedicated in Alabama to unknown soldiers of the Confederacy.
The monument was unveiled to a crowd of several hundred people who had attended the ceremony at the Confederate Veterans Memorial Park in Crenshaw County on Sunday, The Associated Press reported.
Event organizers said those in attendance were not white nationalists or racists but community members and residents wanting to honour their heritage and pay tribute to the confederate soldiers, the AP noted.
The ceremony was earmarked with the firing of five cannons, which was followed by the unveiling of the simple monument, which reads "mother I have been found, I am home."
David Coggins, owner and developer of the memorial park, said the ceremony had nothing to do with the recent violent rallies in Charlottesville, but was way for all to remember their history, WSFA-TV reported.
"This was planned several months ago," he told the NBC affiliate. "Matter of fact, the monument was ordered last year and it's taken this long to get it in the ground and ready to unveil."
The monument’s unveiling sparked controversy.
President of Alabama State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Benard Simelton, wondered why the confederate statue had to be unveiled so soon after the Charlottesville tragedy.
"We think the monuments all should be removed as well as the flags because they're a symbol of hatred and bigotry," Simelton told WSFA. "If he supports, and if he rallies around the Confederate flag and monuments then you know he's a racist."
However, Coggins insisted that the monuments and flags on his property were not representations of hate but of heritage.
"We have plans to expand and put much more out here in the park and keep it educational where people can come and learn about their heritage," he told the station.