Banished Confederate Statues May Find A New Home In Black History Museum

Confederate statues that have been taken down in Virginia are now likely to be placed in the city’s Black History Museum, including one of General Robert E Lee—beneath which conservationists recently discovered a historic time capsule.

Governor Ralph Northam and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney unveiled this new proposal last week, which is now pending approval from the city council before it goes ahead. If green-lighted, the statue of Robert E Lee and eight others will be moved from the state’s capital to the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia.

According to Artnet News, administrators at the city’s longest-standing museum, the Valentine, which specializes in preserving and interpreting its history, will work together with officials to decide where the sculptures will be headed.

“Entrusting the future of these monuments and pedestals to two of our most respected institutions is the right thing to do,” Mayor Stoney said, as per the Associated Press. 

In a video explaining why the statues were removed, such as ones of President Jefferson Davis and General Stonewall Jackson that were taken down during the Black Lives Matter protests, Mayor Stoney said that the presence of these sculptures “cast shadows on the dreams of our children of color,” as reported by The Root.

“Let me be clear, removing these monuments is not a solution to the deeply embedded racial injustices in our city and nation, but is a down payment,” he added.

[via Artnet News and The Root, cover image via Mtdozier23 | Dreamstime.com]