Thanks for introducing this uncomfortable subject, as evidenced by the flood of apologists for Washington and slavery. Perhaps we can gain some insight from the biblical prohibition of idolatry: the simplistic physical image of an entity that comprises ineffable complexity and nuance that cannot be reduced to stone. The incredible complexity of people cannot be sliced by the dichotomy of good or evil. I can admire FDR for his New Deal (at least for white people) while deploring his signing of EO 9066 that incarcerated Japanese Americans solely because of their race. It would be impossible to cover all aspects on a plaque. I suggest that the appropriate vehicle would be our history books, which can give the subjects the fair hearing they deserve. While we take down statues, we need to re-examine our books. Howard Zinn's A People's History of the US is an example of the process of correcting the prevalent mythology of the US. This is not erasing history; it is making it more accurate and complete. History is relevant because our attitudes about our past affect our actions now.

New York Times 6.28.2020