Atlanta School Named After Confederate General Renamed For Hank Aaron

An Atlanta school named after a Confederate Army Lieutenant and founding member of the Ku Klux Klan will be renamed to honor the late baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron.

According to People, the Atlanta Board of Education voted unanimously to rename Forrest Hill Academy, named after Nathan Bedford Forrest, to the Hank Aaron New Beginnings Academy. 

“It is very important that we understand our history,” board member Michelle Olympiadis said. “It’s very important that we understand where we are coming from.”

Aaron passed away of natural causes at the age of 86 in January. He played 23 seasons in the major leagues and spent 21 with the Braves organization, first in Milwaukee and then in Atlanta. Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record for most home runs. He held that honor until Barry Bonds broke it in 2007.