The Washington National Cathedral unveiled on Saturday newly installed “racial-justice themed” stained-glass windows that depict protesters.
The Washington National Cathedral, an Episcopal church, announced in September 2021 that it commissioned black artist Kerry James Marshall to create “racial-justice themed windows” as replacements for the windows that depicted Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.
The Cathedral’s leadership voted to remove the Confederate flags from the windows in 2016, then removed the windows entirely in 2017 after the Charlottesville rally, according to CNN.
“Simply put, these windows were offensive, and they were a barrier to the ministry of this cathedral, and they were antithetical to our call to be a House of Prayer for All People. They told a false narrative, extolling two individuals who fought to keep the institution of slavery alive in this country,” the Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, dean of Washington National Cathedral, said at the dedication on September 23.
“They were intended to elevate the Confederacy, and they completely ignored the millions of Black Americans who have fought so hard and struggled so long to claim their birthright as equal citizens,” he continued.
The new windows, titled “Now and Forever,” depict protesters holding signs saying “FAIRNESS,” “NO FOUL PLAY,” and “NO.” The full faces of the protesters cannot be seen. One protester is in a wheelchair.
“The church in general, across all faiths and this National Cathedral in particular, exists as a symbolic representation of humankind’s aspirations toward perfection, and a desire to keep the promise of redemption when we offend and fall short of the impossible,” Marshall said at the dedication. The new windows were his first time working with stained glass as a medium.
Marshall was awarded a MacArthur “genius” grant in 1997 and named as one of President Obama’s seven appointees to the Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in 2013. His work has realized auction prices exceeding $20 million.
“As America confronts the original sin of racism and slavery, we believe there is no place in God’s kingdom for discrimination or hatred of any kind,” the National Cathedral’s website states. “We celebrate the diverse tapestry of humanity, where each soul reflects the image and likeness of God. That’s why we’re committed to working for racial justice, racial reconciliation and equality for all. None of us is free until all of us are free.”
The National Cathedral’s website expressly commits to “stand in solidarity with the poor and vulnerable who are most likely to suffer the devastating effects of climate change.” The website also features a land acknowledgement recognizing the Anacostan, Piscataway, and Pamunkey nations.