''Expelled Because of Color'' is a bronze sculpture, tall, by John Thomas Riddle, Jr. It is located on the grounds of the

Georgia State Capitol The Georgia State Capitol is an architecturally and historically significant building in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The building has been named a National Historic Landmark which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. As ...

, 240 State Capitol SW,

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,71 ...

. It was commissioned in 1976 by the

Georgia Legislative Black Caucus The Georgia Legislative Black Caucus is the caucus of African-American members of the Georgia General Assembly. It was established in 1975, and is currently the largest caucus of black state legislators in the country in terms of members. History ...

and unveiled on February 16, 1978, the second annual

Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to th ...

Day. The statue commemorates the

Original 33 The "Original 33" were the first 33 African-American members of the Georgia General Assembly. They were elected to office in 1868, during the Reconstruction era. They were among the first African-American state legislators in the United States. T ...

, the 33 African-American legislators who were expelled from the Georgia legislature in 1868. A plaque on the sculpture reads:

"Expelled Because of Color" is dedicated to the memory of 33 black state legislators who were expelled from the Georgia House because of their color in 1868. The cinder block forms at the base of the sculpture symbolize the building of black political awareness and self-representation in Georgia. Our enslavement, our role in the Revolutionary War, the black church, our labor and the right to vote are components of the black Georgian's struggle from the slave ship to the State House.
John Riddle, sculptor

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* {{Atlanta landmarks 1978 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) 1978 sculptures African-American history in Atlanta African-American state legislators in Georgia (U.S. state) African-American artists Anti-black racism in the United States Monuments and memorials in Georgia (U.S. state) Original 33 Outdoor sculptures in Georgia (U.S. state) Reconstruction Era Sculptures in Atlanta Tourist attractions in Atlanta African-American monuments and memorials