Related Link Half of the Arizona's Confederate monuments were installed in the past 20 years

African-American leaders in Arizona are the next to call for the swift removal of the state’s Confederate monuments, joining an overall cry across the nation by those who know that the monuments celebrate slavery and racism and, generally, just the wrong side of history. 

The battle against Confederate symbols and memorials was brought to the forefront of national conversation almost exactly two years ago when white supremacist Dylann Roof killed nine black parishioners and injured several others in a historic black church in Charleston, S.C. 

As The (Arizona) Republic notes, several statues and monuments across the nation have been subject to vandalism and been the center of intense protests that sometimes break out into fights. The contractors who have been charged with removing some of the monuments have gone so far as to cover up identifying information on equipment to protect employees, the news site notes.