Tag Archives: war monuments

Figuring out a Virginia Statue Dispute

Erasing history?

In February 2017, the Charlottesville, VA City Council voted in favor of removing the statues of General Robert E. Lee and General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson from public parks in the city.  Prevalent characters in any American history book, these two men served as leaders of the Confederate military.  For their integral roles in the Civil War, they were honored with statues, erected in Charlottesville public parks in the early 1920’s.  Due to the sensitive nature of what these statues may represent, the Council agreed to have them taken down.  Supporters of preserving the historical significance of the statues, however, disagreed with the Council’s decision, and filed a lawsuit against the city in March 2017. Continue reading