US Navy sailor John R. Monaghan
Spokane, WASHINGTON — In downtown Spokane, Washington, in front of a private social club, stands a statue honoring the 19th century US Navy sailor John R. Monaghan.
Most of the city's residents have no idea who Monaghan was. But for many Pacific Islanders in the area, his legacy is one of violence...

![To many of the Pacific Islanders in the area, the statue is a continual reminder of racism that Samoans endured at the hands of US forces and celebrates a man who participated in a violent and unjust war. [photo via CNN] A plaque on the base of the John R. Monaghan monument in Spokane, Washington, depicts Samoans as primitive.](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/monaghan-statue-spokane.jpg?itok=GEJtBFw1)