Anthony Downer, social studies teacher at Frederick Douglass High School in Atlanta Public Schools spoke on what was happening in Decatur and DeKalb when the cannon was placed in 1906. Downer began by saying, “Our authentic history is under attack. Our own governor, our own department of education wants teachers to not tell the truth. We are going to teach about race, we will teach about voting, we will put our jobs on the line. I just added critical race theory to my curriculum. We are taking this fight to board meetings, to the streets, the classrooms, social media, so we can make sure students learn their history.” Photo by Dean Hesse.

Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights member Susan Camp listens to a speaker during the Decolonize Decatur Committee “Genocide Cannon Teach-In’ on Sunday, Aug. 22. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Decatur High School history teacher and Beacon Hill Black Alliance member Jennifer Gonzalez speaks on the topic “Why is this history relevant for students today?” during the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights Decolonize Decatur Committee “Genocide Cannon on the Square” teach-in at the “Indian War” cannon by the historic DeKalb County courthouse on Sunday, Aug. 22. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Decatur High School graduation coach Jennifer Young invited people to write on the sidewalk what they had learned during the T. Young said, “What we would love for you to do is cover the sidewalk with whatever you learned today, because that’s not being taught in your school and it can be taught in the Square. The reason we are using chalk today is because this is just like history. If we’re not careful, it can all get washed away. Everyone take a piece of chalk, write any piece of truth, any piece of history that is important to you in this space and where we live.” Photo by Dean Hesse.

Historian Dr. Sara Patenaude speaks on the topic, “What happened to the Beacon Hill Community and what can we do?” during the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights Decolonize Decatur Committee “Genocide Cannon on the Square” teach-in at the “Indian War” cannon by the historic DeKalb County courthouse on Sunday, Aug. 22. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Decatur resident Lila Miller uses chalk to write “All children should be taught our true American history” on the sidewalk during the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights Decolonize Decatur Committee “Genocide Cannon on the Square” teach-in at the “Indian War” cannon by the historic DeKalb County courthouse on Sunday, Aug. 22. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights member and Decatur resident Phil Cuffey listens to a speaker during the Decolonize Decatur Committee event on Sunday, Aug. 22. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Decatur High School graduation coach Jennifer Young pours water to break up a solid line representing history she drew on the sidewalk. Young said, “as it’s broken, we have an opportunity to either fill it with truth again or fill it with things that are disruptive to our community and our humanity.” Photo by Dean Hesse.

Six-year-old Joe Harris draws with chalk on the sidewalk during the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights Decolonize Decatur Committee “Genocide Cannon on the Square” teach-In at the “Indian War” cannon by the historic DeKalb County courthouse on Sunday, Aug. 22. Joe said his drawing showed two people and the words NO meant “no to fighting.” Photo by Dean Hesse.

People were invited to write in chalk on the sidewalk what they learned during the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights Decolonize Decatur Committee “Genocide Cannon on the Square” teach-in at the “Indian War” cannon by the historic DeKalb County courthouse on Sunday, Aug. 22. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Recent Decatur High School graduate Koan Roy-Meighoo talks about the JADE program (Justice, Action, Diversity and Equity in City Schools of Decatur) during the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights Decolonize Decatur Committee “Genocide Cannon on the Square” teach-in at the “Indian War” cannon by the historic DeKalb County courthouse on Sunday, Aug. 22. Roy-Meighoo said a goal was to educate the community “about what we can do to make our whole city more inclusive and have memorials that really represent what we stand for.” Photo by Dean Hesse.

Decatur High School Junior Lily Mae Barcik attends the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights Decolonize Decatur Committee “Genocide Cannon on the Square” teach-in at the “Indian War” cannon by the historic DeKalb County courthouse on Sunday, Aug. 22. Photo by Dean Hesse.

People were invited to write in chalk on the sidewalk what they learned during the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights Decolonize Decatur Committee “Genocide Cannon on the Square” teach-in at the “Indian War” cannon by the historic DeKalb County courthouse on Sunday, Aug. 22. Photo by Dean Hesse.

During the Teach-In on Aug. 22, Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights Co-Chair Fonta High said, “We have a lot of symbols of white supremacy in our community that we need to work to remove. We know that Dekalb County is organizing to put a statue of John Lewis in the place where the Lost Cause monument was. I want to see a statue of John Lewis, I do. But it doesn’t make sense to me that we do that while this (cannon) still stands. I think it’s hypocritical. Lewis supported Native rights. If he was a staunch advocate of Native American rights how can we leave that relic there. Dekalb County insists on erecting that statue, we have to insist as a people that they remove this relic. It starts with us understanding the history of knowing how this relic came to be and why it still stands and us sharing that history with other people and our community members.” Photo by Dean Hesse.

Decatur resident Lila Miller listens to a speaker during the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights Decolonize Decatur Committee “Genocide Cannon on the Square” teach-in at the “Indian War” cannon by the historic DeKalb County courthouse on Sunday, Aug. 22. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Educator Dr. Dawn Bolton from City Schools of Decatur spoke on the subject of why monuments are built and erected during the teach-in on Aug. 22. Dr. Bolton also spoke directly to young people saying, “I implore you to keep your eyes open and don’t lose sight of the power that you offer to fight for fairness and justice, respect and dignity for yourself, your family, your friends and your community. In the words of a dear friend of mine, Mawuli Davis (Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights Co-Chair), we need you, we see you and the passion that you have inside. We saw it in the work you did to remove the Confederate monument that’s no longer blocking our view and I want you to know that we as the adults in your lives and in your community, we’re going to help. We are here to teach you what we know, and one thing I can assure you: We will not let you stand alone. So keep believing in yourself, your wisdom and your power, continue to ask the uncomfortable questions and more importantly continue to demand the answers that you deserve.” Photo by Dean Hesse.

Decatur High School social studies teacher Javier Fernandez speaks on the topic of “Who are the Muskogee People and how were they moved?” during the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights Decolonize Decatur Committee “Genocide Cannon on the Square” teach-in at the “Indian War” cannon by the historic DeKalb County courthouse on Sunday, Aug. 22. Photo by Dean Hesse.