According to a recent poll by Rasmussen Reports, a super-majority of voters still rally around Mount Rushmore and historic statues around the country that may be out of line with modern-day sentiments. Overall levels of support were down compared to 2017, and there is growing support among those under 40 to do away with them.

The survey found that 75% of likely U.S. voters do not believe that Mount Rushmore should be closed or changed because two of the four presidents it honors – George Washington and Thomas Jefferson - were slave owners. Seventeen percent (17%) believe the iconic memorial in South Dakota should be closed or changed. This number is down from 90% when Rasmussen Reports first asked this question three years ago. 

Similarly, 71% still oppose removing the names of the early presidents like Washington and Jefferson who were slave owners from public places and taking down statues in their honor. Eighteen percent (18%) favor such moves. However, this compares to 88% and seven percent (7%) respectively in 2017.

The most notable change on both questions is among voters under 40. One-third (33%) of these younger voters are now ready to close or change Mount Rushmore and remove the names and statues of the early presidents who were slave owners. Roughly 10% of older voters agree in both cases.

Only 10% of all voters believe it is better to erase the wrongs of the past. Eighty-four percent (84%) disagree and say it is better to try to learn from them. But that’s down 10 points from the earlier survey.

Twenty-eight percent (28%) of Democrats want to close or change Mount Rushmore, a view shared by just nine percent (9%) of Republicans and 12% of voters not affiliated with either major party. Democrats by a similar margin are more enthusiastic about removing the names and statues of the early presidents who were slave owners.

Democrats (77%) are only slightly less likely than Republicans (89%) and unaffiliated voters (87%), though, to agree that it is better to try to learn from the wrongs of the past rather than erase them.

Seventy-three percent (73%) of all voters agreed with President Trump last July 4 when he said in a speech that “together we are part of one of the greatest stories ever told – the story of America. It is the epic tale of a great nation whose people have risked everything for what they know is right.” Twelve percent (12%) disagreed.

As recently as last November, 73% of American Adults said all Americans should be proud of this country’s history. Just 14% said Americans should be ashamed.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted June 29-30, 2020 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.