Congressman Marc Veasey Calls on Major League Baseball and Texas Rangers to Remove Statue Honoring Segregationist Figure

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) sent a letter to Commissioner of Major League Baseball, Rob Manfred, and Texas Rangers Co-Chairmen Ray Davis and Bob Simpson, raising serious concerns about the reported installation of a statue honoring a segregationist law enforcement officer associated with efforts to block the integration of Mansfield High School in 1956 following the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education.

In the letter, Congressman Veasey stated that honoring a statue tied to resisting school integration contradicts the inclusive values baseball represents and undermines the legacy of pioneering leaders such as Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby, who helped make baseball a sport that belonged to everyone, regardless of skin color.

"Ballparks should be places where families gather, and fans of every background feel welcome," said Rep. Veasey. "Honoring a figure tied to resisting school integration-and doing so with imagery that evokes racist violence-sends exactly the wrong message about who belongs in that space."

Rep. Veasey urged Major League Baseball and the Texas Rangers to remove the statue and requested answers about whether MLB reviewed or approved the monument and what guidelines govern commemorative displays at league ballparks.

The full letter can be found here.

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