Navy renames warship after Black sailor, statesman

TL;DR

The Navy has renamed a warship in honor of a Black sailor and statesman who had been born into slavery, as part of the US military’s ongoing effort to remove names that commemorate the Confederacy. “Robert Smalls is a man who deserves a namesake ship and with this renaming, his story will continue to be retold and highlighted,” Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said in a statement. The latter is named after Commander Matthew Fontaine Maury, who resigned his commission in the US Navy to serve with the Confederacy

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