Tuesday could be the day the Florida Legislature votes to replace a Confederate general with a civil rights leader in the U.S. Capitol Building.

  • Florida House expected to take up Statuary Hall bill Tuesday
  • Bill replaces Confederate general with Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune
  • If approved, statue would be in National Statuary Hall Collection

The Florida House will take up a bill to replace the statue of General Edmund Kirby Smith in the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall with Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune.

The Senate approved the move last month, but the House needs to do the same.

Dr. Bethune was an education advocate and the founder of Bethune Cookman University in Daytona Beach.

If approved, Bethune's statue would be the first honoring an African-American and the 10th honoring a woman.

Each state contributes two statues to the National Statuary Hall Collection. Aside from Smith, Florida's other statue honors physician and inventor John Gorrie, who pioneered ways to cool rooms, as a forerunner of air conditioning and refrigeration.

Bethune-Cookman University is hosting virtual watch parties for the debate and possible vote on Facebook Tuesday.