Judge Blocks Removal Of Robert E. Lee Statue

TOPLINE

One of the most prominent Confederate monuments—the Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond, Virginia—is staying around indefinitely after a judge extended an injunction stopping the statue’s removal, blocking Gov. Ralph Northam’s order to have the controversial public image of the Confederate general removed.

KEY FACTS

CRITICAL QUOTE

“For many Virginians, the Lee Monument is a reminder of a past that should be shunned or atoned for, not celebrated,” Herring said in a court filing. “This is especially true of the descendants of people whose ancestors were held in bondage because of the color of their skin. It is a symbol of racism and oppression at a time when we strive towards a future marked by equality and inclusion.”

KEY BACKGROUND

Several prominent Confederate monuments across the nation, and primarily in the South, have been taken down in the past few week following protests. In Richmond, protesters have used the Robert E. Lee statue’s pedestal as a canvas of sorts that now hosts a colorful array of graffiti.

TANGENT

The statue, which was put up in the late 19th century, is one of many reminders of the “Lost Cause” period in the south, with the “Lost Cause” notion holding that the Civil War was fought to protect Southern values from Northern aggressors. It’s during that period, usually identified as the late 19th and early 20th century, that much of the public Confederate imagery still seen today first appeared. It’s also when the Ku Klux Klan peaked in membership, and many Jim Crow laws were passed.

BIG NUMBER

1,747 — According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, that’s how many publicly sponsored Confederate images appear in the U.S., including monuments, flags and the names of schools and roadways, among others.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

In Washington, D.C., House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called for the removal of Confederate statues from the National Statuary Hall Collection. The Collection, which allows each state to have two statues of figures it deems important, contains 11 statues of historical figures with ties to the Confederacy.

FURTHER READING

Here Are All The Confederate Monuments Now Coming Down (Forbes)

AG Herring urges judge not to extend Lee statue injunction (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Nancy Pelosi Calls For Immediate Removal Of Confederate Statues From Halls Of Congress (Forbes)