Crews harnessed the 12-ton statue of Robert E. Lee and removed it from its 40-foot pedestal, eliciting cheers from hundreds watching nearby. usatoday.com/story/news/nat…
Gov. Ralph Northam said the removal was overdue because Confederate history does not represent what Virginia is today.
"It is time to display history as history, and use the public memorials to honor the full and inclusive truth of who we are today and in the future," he said.
"It is time to display history as history, and use the public memorials to honor the full and inclusive truth of who we are today and in the future," he said.
About 200 people gathered in a fenced-off area to watch crews take the statue apart, including Rayshawn Graves of Richmond.
"If these statues were to come alive, they would probably not appreciate me or the fact that I'm free and an equal citizen," Graves said.
"If these statues were to come alive, they would probably not appreciate me or the fact that I'm free and an equal citizen," Graves said.
The centerpiece of Richmond's Monument Avenue was the road's last remaining Confederate memorial following a citywide movement to take the statues down. usatoday.com/story/news/nat…
The Virginia Department of General Services is expected to store the statue in a state-run storage facility until a decision on its disposition is made.
Northam's administration said it would seek public input on the statue’s future.
Northam's administration said it would seek public input on the statue’s future.
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