MEDORA, N.D. (KFGO) – The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in North Dakota has agreed to take a controversial equestrian statue of the 26th president that has stood on the steps of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City since 1940.

The bronze statue was commissioned by the New York State Roosevelt Memorial in 1929. The statue depicts the former president on horseback with a Native American man and an African man flanking the horse. It’s been the subject of years of criticism that it symbolizes colonial subjugation and racial discrimination.

“The Equestrian Statue is problematic in its hierarchical depiction of its subjects and should be removed from New York State’s official memorial to Theodore Roosevelt,” Theodore Roosevelt V said. “Rather than burying a troubling work of art, we ought to learn from it.”

The removal of the statue will be conducted by the American Museum of Natural History in coordination with the City of New York. The relocation is subject to final approval by the City’s Public Design Commission.

The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is scheduled to open in Medora, N.D. in 2026, the 250th anniversary of the United States.