A statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was removed from the U.S. Capitol overnight at Gov. Ralph Northam’s order. According to a statement from Northam’s office, “Each state is entitled to display two statues in the National Statuary Hall Collection,” and for more than 100 years, the Confederate statue of Lee “has stood along with America’s first president George Washington as Virginia‘s contributions.” The statues were added to the capitol “44 years after the Confederacy rebelled against the United States and was defeated.”
The statue of Lee had been one of 13 — representing the 13 original colonies — that were displayed in the Crypt of the Capitol. However, the Lee statue’s absence will not leave an empty space for long as the Commission has already voted on its replacement. The space once occupied by the Lee statue will soon feature a statue of civil rights icon Barbara Rose Johns, who “led a student walkout at Robert Russa Moton High School in Farmville” at 16 years old and protested “the overcrowded and inferior conditions of the all-Black school compared to those of White students at nearby Farmville High School.”
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Early this morning, I witnessed the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue from the U.S. Capitol.
It was a historic & overdue moment.
I’m proud the work @RepMcEachin & I started a year ago led to this. We deserve to be represented by a figure who truly embodies Virginia’s values. pic.twitter.com/EIZwNaO8pX
— Rep. Jennifer Wexton (@RepWexton) December 21, 2020
“We should all be proud of this important step forward for our Commonwealth and our country,” said Northam in a statement. “The Confederacy is a symbol of Virginia’s racist and divisive history, and it is past time we tell our story with images of perseverance, diversity, and inclusion. I look forward to seeing a trailblazing young woman of color represent Virginia in the U.S. Capitol, where visitors will learn about Barbara Johns’ contributions to America and be empowered to create positive change in their communities just like she did.”
Earlier in 2020, Northam created the Commission for Historical Statues in the United States Capitol, which was charged with having the Lee statue removed and replaced. This eight-member commission, chaired by State Senator Louise Lucas, unanimously voted on July 24 to have the statue taken down. “Confederate images do not represent who we are in Virginia, that’s why we voted unanimously to remove this statue,” said Lucas in a statement. “I am thrilled that this day has finally arrived, and I thank Governor Northam and the Commission for their transformative work.”
