A Ten Commandments monument donated to Kentucky more than 50 years ago has been restored as a permanent fixture on the state Capitol grounds in Frankfort. According to First Liberty Institute, the granite monument was returned to Monument Park following the passage of House Joint Resolution 15 earlier this year, which authorized its public display.
The monument was originally donated in 1971 by the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 3423. It was moved to storage in the 1980s due to construction and later prevented from being reinstalled because of court rulings based on the former Lemon test. First Liberty noted that the U.S. Supreme Court rejected that test in 2019 and fully abrogated it in 2022.
“We congratulate the people of Kentucky for restoring a part of their history,” said Roger Byron of First Liberty Institute. Fraternal Order of Eagles trustee Vic Jeffries said, “We are thrilled to return the Ten Commandments monument to the Commonwealth and have it back where it belongs.”
State and community leaders, including the Family Foundation, also welcomed the monument’s return, citing its historical significance and longstanding presence at the Capitol.
