(Publisher’s Note: The following speech was delivered by the mayor of New Orleans a couple of weeks ago regarding his decision to remove the last few of the city’s Confederate monuments. While this is a long read, it is worth every minute. As states and cities struggle with the feelings these monuments evoke in residents, the well thought out speech by this mayor should remind everyone why the removal of such statues is a move to heal.)

The soul of our beloved City is deeply rooted in...