Removing the Confederate statue, is this the end of racist symbols in the United States?
The country’s largest remaining Confederate statue is coming down this week after 130 years. The Southern Poverty Law Center reported in 2020 more than 160 Confederate symbols were renamed or removed from public spaces.
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam said the statue of General Robert E. Lee will be removed from Richmond on Wednesday. He called the move an important step in showing who the commonwealth is and what they value.
Northam ordered that the statue be removed in June of last year, but the process was delayed by a legal battle which wrapped up last week. Once the statue is removed, it will head to a state-owned facility until officials decide what to do with it.
“Richmond is no longer the capital of the confederacy,” Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said in a statement. “We are a diverse, open, and welcoming city, and our symbols need to reflect this reality.”
Virginia is set to leave the 40-food granite pedestal holding the statue in place for now after removal. While the city of Richmond and the Virginia Department of Fine Arts will work to “reimagine Monument Avenue,” known as a tourism area in the city.
Do you think the Confederate statue is a symbol of hate? Share your thoughts below.
