JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An upcoming major court hearing in Jacksonville’s federal court could impact the longtime debate over Confederate monuments on city property.
Next week, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in the case of Earl M. Johnson Jr. v. Mayor Donna Deegan and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The lawsuit was originally filed in 2021 during the administration of former Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, and it argues that the display of Confederate monuments on public property violates the U.S. Constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Johnson Jr.’s father was the attorney for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Now, decades later, he’s got a fight of his own.
“I’m four years in. Someone once told me that a little perseverance goes a long way in this world, and I’m in it for the long haul. I feel very confident we’ll be successful in front of the 11th Circuit next week,” Johnson said.
Johnson sued the City of Jacksonville and the State of Florida for displaying Confederate monuments on city property.
“When I see these tributes, whether it’s Confederate Street or parks named after the confederacy, even counties in our state named after Confederate soldiers and generals, I’m disgusted by it,” Johnson said.
This issue came to a head around five years ago in James Weldon Johnson Park, which was then Hemming Park, during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of George Floyd’s death, when many monuments were taken down.
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But Johnson has run into problems.
In the lower-level court, it was determined he didn’t have standing to file this case.
News4JAX talked to local defense attorney Shannon Schott about what that means. She’s not affiliated with this case.
“Simply because you’re offended, you don’t necessarily have standing to bring a lawsuit. Now, there might be a unique set of circumstances,” Schott said.
But Johnson addressed those circumstances in his appeal, writing he received ”stigmatic injury” alleging race discrimination and being struck with “deep repulsion, disheartenment, and intimidation” when confronted with tributes to Confederates and the Confederacy on governmentally owned public spaces.
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The hearing will be held at the federal courthouse in Downtown Jacksonville on June 6 at 9 a.m.
Supporters of Johnson’s push are planning a rally outside the courthouse right after the hearing.