Why do we build statues of Robert E. Lee, or why do Americans put Andrew Jackson (7th president) on the 20$ bill ?

First, let's remember that the democratization of history is quite recent. Before the 1960s history was the privilege of the dominant (TRAVERSO Enzo, Le passé, mode d’emploi : Histoire, mémoire, politique). Thus, the collective memory retains from the past what is still alive or capable of living in the consciousness of the group (HALBWACHS, La Mémoire collective).

The names you mentioned are important characters in history because they marked their time. They represent a breaking point in history for one reason or another, so much so that their names have come down to us through the ages.

However, this does not mean that they are glorified. In the two examples I mentioned at the beginning, it is possible to speak of glorification because public images have been installed in the public space. Individuals pay unequal attention to what we call the material aspect of the city (Traverso). For one, it is about a great man or remembering a prestigious action of his life, for another it recalls oppression. The historian contributes to the formation of collective memory and history (Traverso). It is therefore his responsibility to write a history that is not partial. And he must therefore make sure to mention all aspects of a historical figure. Yes, Caesar conquered Gaul, but to do so he massacred thousands of people. Yes, Andrew Jackson was the 7th president, but he was also a slave owner.

Today, when citizens want to debunk statues or remove a bust of a famous person who was anything but exemplary. The ruling class defends itself by saying that the statue represents a glorious facet of history while ignoring the darker sides. An actual example in Geneva : one of the building was called Carl Vogt who was famous for his positions on the theory of evolution. But, he was also a racist and a mysogin of the worst kind who published theses on the inferiority of races... Finally, the building was renamed.

So, as I wrote before, Individuals pay unequal attention to what we call the material aspect of the city. We can change “city” by “history”, and when social demand arises, it is quite possible to change arrangements or to specify concretely the life and actions of a "great man".