Ja Morant wrote a letter to a Kentucky judge asking for the removal of a Confederate monument in downtown Murray.

"As a young Black man, I cannot stress enough how disturbing and oppressive it is to know the city still honors a Confederate war general defending white supremacy and hatred," wrote Murray in the letter to a Calloway County judge.

The monument, erected in 1917, features a statue of Robert E. Lee.

"Given recent events and the Black Lives Matter movement, it's necessary to act now. We can't change the culture of racism unless we change the celebration of racism," added Morant.