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Canceling The Confederacy

Rachel Scott Everett | February 1, 2021

Topics: branding, Confederate monuments, EVERGIB, George Floyd, Marcus-David Peters Circle, Robert E. Lee Monument, Virginia Flaggers

Dismantling the Confederacy’s legacy as one of the most ubiquitous brands in American history is not easy. But, as Rachel Scott Everett writes, progress is finally being made.

On July 1, 2020, I stood with hundreds of masked observers to witness history in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia: the official removal of the first Confederate statue in our city.

A deluge of rain poured down, but spectators didn’t budge. We watched as a crane plucked a century-old bronze statue of Confederate general Stonewall Jackson from its 20-foot pedestal on Monument Avenue. Immediately at lift-off, I felt a momentous shift take place. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Church bells tolled. Even the heavens offered a resounding approval with a loud clap of thunder.

This wasn’t just the removal of a statue. It was the elimination of a powerful symbol — a visual representation of a belief system with its own narrative, distinct set of values, and unique personality; in short, a successful brand. 

Having spent more than a decade working at ad agencies creating campaigns for national and global companies, I’ve seen firsthand the influence that brands have on people — for better and for worse.

Consider some of the top brands out there and the messaging they invoke.

Coke invites us to “Taste the feeling,” Apple inspires us to “Think different,” and of course, Nike motivates us to “Just do it.” These brands make us feel something, strongly and viscerally. In fact, our emotions play a big role in why we buy a brand’s products and services. It’s also how we inadvertently become “brand ambassadors.” People see our advocacy in the choices we make — what we drink, the phone we use, the clothes we wear, the conversations we have, even the posts we like on social media. 

The same holds true when a person, such as a celebrity or global figure, becomes a brand. Their audience, in the form of fans or followers, become unofficial spokespeople. It’s why a red MAGA hat denotes so much more than a political party. It says to the world that you not only support that particular individual, but you believe in what they do, stand for what they stand for, and subscribe to their ideology.

Branding is an effective marketing tool because it taps deep into our psyche, often without our realizing it.

It can confirm what we already believe to be true, or it can be so persuasive that it changes our mind. In some cases, a brand stretches or distorts the truth to appeal to its audience. Do we really think Pop-Tarts are part of a nutritious breakfast, as Kellogg’s suggests? Over time, the reinforcement of this skewed reality becomes accepted as the norm. It’s exactly how the rise of the Confederacy brand came to pass.

People congregate on Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia, to witness the removal of the J.E.B. Stuart Monument by city officials in July. Photo by EVERGIB.

Ultimately, behind every brand is an agenda — whether it’s turning a profit, gaining an audience, acquiring fame or power, promoting a cause, or perhaps all of the above.

The way that agenda comes to life is typically through a “brand story,” a compelling narrative that elicits an emotional response, which in turn affects behavior. While I’d like to say humans are smart enough to recognize this subliminal sales pitch, we’re simple creatures who can be won over easily. Charles Revson, founder of the makeup brand Revlon, once stated, “In our factory, we make lipstick. In our store, we sell hope.”

When the Civil War ended, the Confederacy should have, too. 

But a belief system was already in place — one that included the justification of slavery — and it was profoundly ingrained in the minds of most white Southerners.

The Confederates may have lost the war, but they were not about to give up on their version of America. They needed a way for the Confederacy to stay alive. In the world of advertising, it’s a well-known strategy for a business to launch a new campaign when its brand starts to lose relevance, gets tied up in bad press, or in the case of the Confederacy, faces extinction.

In 2016, Wells Fargo created millions of fraudulent savings and checking accounts on behalf of clients without their consent. The multinational financial company admitted to breaking the law and was fined $3 billion. To recover from the scandal, the company modernized its logo and released a campaign emphasizing a new and improved commitment to customers. Through empathetic language and a tone of humility, Wells Fargo attempted to transform its image from evil banking behemoth to trusted banking friend. Only time will tell if it proves successful.

Branding is a marathon, not a sprint. It can take years to build an impactful brand (or rebrand).

It’s why we know BMW is “The ultimate driving machine” and that we’ll be “in good hands with Allstate” — both slogans have been running for more than 40 years. De Beers has been telling us “A diamond is forever” since 1947. From “Have it your way” to “The happiest place on Earth,” the way brands become part of our cultural landscape is through the story they consistently tell us over time.

Graffiti messages cover what remains of the Jefferson Davis Memorial. The statue of Davis, the former president of the Confederate States, was unofficially removed by protestors in June. Photo by EVERGIB.

Enter the Lost Cause, an interpretation of the Civil War developed during post-Reconstruction by white Southerners, many of whom were former Confederate generals. The sole aim of this one-sided narrative was to paint the Confederacy in the best possible light. Marketers call this “brand positioning” — the way in which a brand is perceived in the minds of its audience. For the Confederates, this meant writing their own version of history.

The primary purpose of the Lost Cause was to establish the belief that the Confederacy fought for a just and heroic cause — specifically, states’ rights.

Downplaying support of institutionalized slavery, it emphasized Confederate bravery and the struggle for independence. In this romanticized version of the Old South, the “brand personality” of the Confederacy began to take shape.

By applying human traits and characteristics, the brand became more relatable, inspiring more empathy. Serving up Confederate war efforts as noble and virtuous strengthened the brand’s emotional connection to white Southerners by tapping into their longstanding pride. 

The Lost Cause also weaved in guiding principles to perpetuate a more honorable and respected image.

These “brand values” highlighted what was important to Southerners: devotion to family and state, faithfulness to Christian ideals, and preservation of the life and culture of the Antebellum South, characterized by plantation fields, sweet tea, good manners and “happy” slaves.

When brand values, personality and positioning come together, they work to promote what is known as the “brand promise.” This is the expectation a brand sets for itself to motivate its audience to support, and ideally, champion its cause.

For the Confederacy, that promise came to fruition in a brand slogan created by a Southern political coalition known as the Redeemers. “The South will rise again” became the Confederate rallying cry. Depending on whether you were white or Black, the phrase was either a vision for the future or a threat to your very existence. 

Declarations like this are on what’s left of the Confederate statues in Richmond. Other messages include “End White Supremacy,” “We Won’t Stop,” and “With Us or Against.” Photo by EVERGIB.

As the Confederate brand further solidified, its followers sought out the most effective way to push their agenda out into the world. Essentially a “brand launch campaign,” the Confederacy used specific mediums (“media channels”) to communicate its message to the widest audience possible.

Back in the late 1800s, there was obviously no social media, influencer marketing or commercials. However, the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), a white Southern women’s “heritage” group, found a solution that would not only preserve the legacy of the Confederacy, but validate it. Their primary media channel: school textbooks.

The UDC argued that the historical narrative around the Civil War dishonored the South in a legacy of shame.

As such, they referred to the war as the War Between the States or the War for Southern Independence. This is an example of “rebranding” — a marketing strategy that allocates a different identity for a brand; one that works more in its favor.

By pushing for the Lost Cause narrative in the classroom, the Confederates were able to reach children at the origin point of their education, indoctrinating them with a biased perspective of U.S. history. This systematic method of changing attitudes or altering beliefs is often known by another term: brainwashing.

The Lost Cause still remains in some present-day textbooks. The goal of the UDC wasn’t just to rewrite history for the South, but for the entire nation. They wanted to ensure generations grew up knowing their version of the “truth.” But they didn’t stop there. There was a desire to build something permanent and highly visible to maintain the Confederacy’s relevance.

As such, the UDC led the movement to erect memorials to Confederate veterans in public spaces all over the country during two distinct time periods.

The first wave of Confederate statues was built during The Progressive Era (1890-1921). Slavery was abolished, but the South was determined to keep Black people oppressed through Jim Crow laws that legalized and enforced racial segregation. The proliferation of memorials to the Confederacy kept the brand visible, while serving as an intimidation tactic (for context, the UDC also built a memorial commemorating the Ku Klux Klan).

Around this same time, an unprecedented number of lynchings took place. These killings were public acts of racial terror committed by white Southerners to incite fear among newly freed slaves. In some cases, white people who enabled Black people were lynched as well.

The second wave of Confederate statues was built during the Civil Rights Movement (1954-68). Black people were justifiably fed up with the continued inequality stemming from the country’s inherent prejudice.

After World War II, a group of white Southern Democrats briefly formed their own far-right political party called the Dixiecrats. Opposing racial integration, they supported Jim Crow laws and pledged to uphold white supremacy. The party’s symbol: the Confederate battle flag (also known as the Rebel flag). Resurrected after nearly 100 years out of the public eye, it sent a message loud and clear: defiance against racial equality.

Armed defenders of the United Daughters of the Confederacy stand guard outside the national headquarters building after it was vandalized earlier this summer. Photo by EVERGIB.

Today, more than 1,500 Confederate symbols exist in the United States, with over 240 in Virginia alone, more than any other state. Most are statues of Confederate leaders or soldiers from the Civil War, put in prominent spaces for public display.

The Confederacy also found its way into the names of schools, roads, parks, bridges, and of all places, military bases.

Confederate museums popped up, serving as shrines to protect the “legacy” of the war, but again, only showcasing the point of view of the South. 

Until a few months ago, the Virginia Flaggers, a neo-Confederate group based in Richmond, would gather on a highly visible corner of Arthur Ashe Boulevard, near the UDC national headquarters (yes, the UDC still exists). According to an article in the Daily Beast, some members of the Virginia Flaggers are directly tied to white nationalist groups that openly promote white supremacy.

Typically, the scene would consist of a few older white men and a lineup of parked trucks flying multiple Confederate flags from 10-foot poles. In recent years, they had added a giant Trump flag to their collection. However, since the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and protests, the Flaggers have been absent.

From a branding perspective, a lack of visibility is a sure sign a brand is losing relevance. Out of sight, out of mind.

For more than a century, the Confederacy built and strengthened its brand through textbooks, monuments, flags and more. Eventually, it made its way into pop culture.

In the 1980s, the country band Alabama released the song “Dixieland Delight.” The feel-good song became popular with students at the University of Alabama, who began singing it during football games. When they added their own profanity-laced lyrics, the school momentarily banned the tradition. Ironically, no one seemed to have a problem with the actual name of the song, “Dixieland,” a nickname referring to the 11 Southern states that seceded to form the Confederate States of America.

In fact, it wasn’t long ago that fraternities at the University of Alabama, and other Southern universities, held “Old South” themed parties and parades. Revelers dressed in Civil War attire with women in Scarlett O’Hara-like hoop skirts and men in Confederate gray military uniforms.

Growing up, I couldn’t get enough of The Dukes of Hazzard.

The action-packed TV show featured the adventures of cousins Bo and Luke Duke, two good ol’ boys who ran a moonshine business for their Uncle Jesse in rural Georgia. Mostly, the show was watching them evade the law by driving around in their 1969 Dodge Charger, named the “General Lee” after Confederate general Robert E. Lee. The car had a Confederate flag painted on the roof and a signature horn that played the first few notes of “Dixie,” the de facto national anthem of the Confederacy. 

In 2005, Warner Brothers released a feature film based on the hit series. Reruns of the show continued to play on TV Land until 2015, when white supremacist Dylann Roof stormed a church in South Carolina, killing nine Black people for the explicit purpose of starting a race war. Photos later surfaced of him posing at a historic Civil War site, holding the gun he used in the massacre, along with a Confederate flag.

Visitors climb on the graffitied steps of the Robert E. Lee Monument. In recent months, the area has seen a dramatic increase of people coming specifically to experience the monument. Photo by EVERGIB.

Brands are powerful because of the complex idea system behind them.

A quick search on Amazon shows the Confederacy’s fight to stay alive. Branded merchandise ranges from Confederate T-shirts and throw pillows to commemorative coins and face masks — even the Dixie Air Horn is available. From generation to generation, the Confederacy brand and its racist ideology have continued to exist. As a society, we’ve failed to bring the truth to the masses. Instead, we’ve succumbed to the branding.

Our tolerance, and in some cases indifference, has translated into acceptance. A brand reaches the pinnacle of success when it becomes a normal part of everyday life — when people carry around the ubiquitous Starbucks coffee cup, talk about their latest run to Targét [“tar-jay”], or when a reality show host becomes president of the United States and defends the statues of traitors proliferating our country.

But the normalization can end when the narrative changes.

And that’s precisely what happened on May 25, 2020, when Minneapolis police killed George Floyd. 

The momentum of protests that erupted across the country quickly made its way to Richmond, former capital of the Confederacy. Nowhere has the Confederacy been more visible in the city than on Monument Avenue, a grand, tree-lined boulevard featuring five enormous statues dedicated to Confederate military and political figures.

Over the years, numerous efforts have been made to remove or relocate the statues, or use historical plaques to provide context. It wasn’t until protesters began to tear down statues around town that Mayor Levar Stoney announced a proposal to officially remove all Confederate statues from Monument Avenue, stating that “Richmond is no longer the capital of the Confederacy — it is filled with diversity and love for all, and we need to demonstrate that.”

In less than a month, four of the five statues were removed. Now, only General Robert E. Lee remains, due to a court order protecting it that is expected to be lifted. The Confederate general on horseback sits perched atop a 60-foot pedestal covered in an impactful array of colorful graffiti.

Finally, “context” has been added.

While a few complain about the profanity, most recognize the profound meaning behind the messages. Centuries of pain, injustice, anger, grief, and trauma are finally being unleashed and recognized, culminating in a beautiful expression that is ultimately about hope. 

Photographer John Biggs used a drone to capture an incredible abstract aerial shot of the Lee Monument. A yoga friend of mine remarked that the colors and textures resemble a mandala, the sacred symbol in Hindu and Buddhist rituals that also represents a sacred space. It’s a poignant analogy that demonstrates how a change in perspective (both literally and figuratively) can open the mind to see things in an entirely new light. It’s precisely what we need right now.

A drone image shows the colorful messages surrounding the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue in Richmond. Photo by John Biggs.

A video clip has been trending from the beloved 1980s sitcom The Golden Girls, which focuses on the friendship of four senior women living in Florida. The clip shows one of the main characters, Blanche Devereaux (played by Rue McClanahan), being confronted by a young Don Cheadle, who gives her a lesson in racism prompted by her display of the Confederate flag.

As Blanche attempts to defend her Southern heritage, she quickly realizes her predicament with the flag’s racist ties. Clearly having an existential crisis, she pleads, “What am I supposed to do and think about my family now? What am I supposed to think about all those people I love? What am I supposed to think about ME? Everything I grew up believing in, all my wonderful memories, they’re all tarnished now by …” She pauses for a moment to consider the weight of the moment. “Oh god … by the truth.”

For many, this time has been an awakening as a new, more accurate historical narrative takes shape.

In a display of poetic justice, the area where the Lee Monument stands on Monument Avenue in Richmond has been rebranded as Marcus-David Peters (MDP) Circle. The new community gathering spot is named after a 24-year-old local Black man and high school teacher, who was having a mental health crisis when a Richmond police officer shot and killed him in May 2018.

He is our George Floyd.

A couple embrace at the newly rebranded Marcus-David Peters Circle on Monument Avenue in Richmond. MDP Circle has recently become a celebrated community gathering spot. Photo by EVERGIB.

At the center of MDP Circle, makeshift memorials have been built, featuring Black people from across the country who have died from police brutality. Their photos are accompanied by bios that tell their stories and the injustice of their deaths.

On a daily basis, people come here to learn, cry, contemplate, and rejoice.

They take photos, have conversations, enjoy a picnic, and play pickup basketball games. The location has served as a venue for lectures, dance and music performances, and yoga practices. A community garden has been started, and volunteers under tents regularly offer water and snacks and information on ways to take action and register to vote.

In the evenings, a local lighting artist uses the Lee statue as a backdrop for the projection of the faces of Black victims, alongside Black activists, thinkers and politicians, to reclaim support for the BLM movement.

I wonder, if Lee were alive today, what he might think of his statue’s transformation. Considering he opposed monuments, specifically Confederate war monuments, my hope is he’d recognize the irony. Certainly his descendants do. Rev. Robert Wright Lee, a distant nephew of the Confederate general, has voiced support for removal of the statues for years, stating:

“I fully believe, along with a host of other amazing citizens of this great country, that Black lives matter — and for us to continue to celebrate a man who questioned the education, disparaged the right to vote of Black life, and had previously fought for the continued enslavement of Africans on the North American continent is an affront to those now suffering under the continued weight of oppression.”

Locals watch images of notable Black people projected on the statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee, created by lighting artist Dustin Klein at MDP Circle in Richmond. Photo by EVERGIB.

This is how we begin to re-educate a nation. This is how we seek the truth.

Already we’re seeing visible signs of change nationwide. Confederate statues are coming down, Black Lives Matter murals are going up. Police reform and accountability are being discussed. Corporate America is taking a stance and rethinking policies and practices. And many are taking a serious look at their branding.

In just the last few months, NASCAR has banned Confederate flags at all races and events, the Dixie Chicks are now the Chicks, the Washington Redskins plan to change their name and logo, and Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben’s, and Cream of Wheat are among a number of brands looking to update their image.

Finally, we’ve reached a tipping point that is changing our acceptance into action. This is the revolution our country needs.

Make no mistake, symbolic changes will not get rid of the systematic racism that continues to prevail in this country. Police brutality isn’t just happening in the South — it’s happening all over the country, including in liberal cities like Minneapolis. After all, our history of colonization and the racist ideology of white supremacy aren’t exclusive instruments to the Confederacy brand, but to the brand of the entire United States of America. 

Yet there is hope. Through these challenging times, our nation is evolving. We are beginning to acknowledge and understand our past, not from a single narrative, but from multiple perspectives. It’s human nature for people to believe what they want to believe, even if it means ignoring the truth. But there is no growth, empathy, or understanding in ignorance.

The only way of moving toward a more equitable future is by empowering ourselves — and others — through knowledge. 

Branding is not the truth. It’s an interpretation — in some cases, an illusion that holds great power, as witnessed by the rise of the Confederacy brand. We live in a time with incredible access to information, yet the lines between fact and fiction are blurred more than ever. That’s why it’s up to us to take individual responsibility — not only as responsible consumers, but as informed citizens.

We must question what is normalized, look past the persuasive narrative, and never stop seeking the truth.

To learn more about this topic, consider reading Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Dr. Ibram Kendi.

Top Photo: A biker rides along the perimeter of a heavily graffitied statue of Confederate general J.E.B. Stuart in Richmond, Virginia, former capital of the Confederacy. Photo by EVERGIB.

This essay was first published by Muse by Clio on July 29, 2020.

Sparking Conversations: 1708 Gallery’s Billboards Spotlight Social Issues, Civic Participation

David Tran | November 5, 2020

Topics: 1708 Gallery, billboards, Chilalay, Confederate monuments, Earl Mack, Election 2020, Nikko Dennis, police brutality, public art, Wilmer Wilson IV

Two new exhibitions from 1708 Gallery invite guests outside with billboard installations around the city. Artists Wilmer Wilson IV, Earl Mack, and Nikko Dennis hope to spread positivity and start important conversations.

Under the auspices of 1708 Gallery, public art installations by Wilmer Wilson IV and Chilalay founders Nikko Dennis and Earl Mack are currently on display around Richmond, hoping to invoke conversation on themes such as racial injustice, activism, policing, politics, and civil participation.

’til bronze flows through the streets, a billboard series by Richmond-born artist Wilmer Wilson IV, intends to disrupt billboards’ typical role of advertising by using the platforms to display texts and imagery that will initiate discussion about the anti-police brutality protests and other local activism happening around Richmond over the past few months.  

“I hope people will spend time re-imagining our shared institutions from the ground up,” Wilson said via email, “and catching glimpses of the beauty that awaits there, amidst all of the hard work that it will take to truly change how we relate to one another.”

Richmond has been and still is one of the pivotal sites of movements against systemic racism and police brutality. The removal of Confederate monuments, just a few of the many buildings and architectural structures around the city that are rooted in Richmond’s past, has been a discussion over the past summer.

To Wilson, the removal of such monuments falls short of establishing meaningful structural change, and allows systemic racism to silently continue. He wants his billboards to be a starting point for more conversations about this idea.

“Virginia history is one of terror in so many different ways. It’s visible in the very infrastructure of the city of Richmond,” he said. “Intervening onto the infrastructure and the landscape, however small or temporary, felt meaningful, hopefully not just to me but to all whom this place subjugated, and continues to subjugate, to constitute itself.”

The locations of Wilson’s three billboards are no accident either. Wilson said that two of the billboards, which are displayed together on the 200 block of West Grace St and are entirely text, are located across from the Richmond Police Department as an “annotation to or interjection into its existence there.”

The third billboard, located at 21st St and East Broad in Church Hill, is image-based, which Wilson said allows a “more grounded entry point” for conversations surrounding activism and political activity in that residential area, which he notes has recently undergone “fraught social changes.”

Wilmer Wilson IV, ’til bronze flows through the streets, 2020. Billboard, dimensions variable. Photograph by David Hale, courtesy of the Artist and 1708 Gallery.

Bronze and brass are at the core of Wilson’s pieces, two metals that, he said, are historically known for their durability, corrosion resistance, and spark-striking resistance. These copper alloys are used for cultural and utilitarian purposes, and Wilson suggested that in the same way, existing public structures that call to mind, and thereby reinforce, institutional racism can be “melted down” for a better use — perhaps rebuilding our institutions.

The second billboard project 1708 Gallery is currently presenting in Richmond is called SMILE… It was created by Nikko Dennis and Earl Mack, founders of the local design and apparel brand Chilalay.

Driving down Chamberlayne Parkway, drivers and passengers are greeted by a yellow-pink gradient billboard with a reminder to smile. The billboard suggests that a brighter future can be achieved through collective positivity and civil participation, such as voting. Part of the billboard stresses Richmonders to vote for “justice” and “peace” on Nov. 3.

Since the billboard is located in Jackson Ward, it was important for the gallery to make sure the space was occupied by voices within that area, explained 1708 Gallery’s curator, Park Myers. 

“Beyond the incredible importance of the neighborhood, it was important in working with and inviting Chilalay, because of that,” said Myers. “Their entire creative endeavor, their business, where they cultivate their ideas, happens in Jackson Ward.”

Dubbed “Black Wall Street” and “the Harlem of the South,” Jackson Ward has been a historic center for Black entertainment and businesses since the nineteenth century. To this day, the neighborhood remains a cultural hub for Richmond’s Black community.

Both Dennis and Mack are Virginia Commonwealth University alumni. Having launched their Black-owned small business in 2012, their presence in the Jackson Ward neighborhood has been well-established. 

When drivers or pedestrians pass by the billboard, Mack said he wants it to serve a reminder that some things are beyond our control, no matter how hard we try to fix them. “No matter what you’re going through, a smile will last forever,” Mack said.

While planned since before the pandemic began, the billboard installations are part of 1708’s continuous effort during the coronavirus pandemic to hold socially-distanced onsite and offsite exhibitions.

“We’re thinking about how our ambitions to support emerging artists continues in a time when we might not be able to be viewing exhibitions within the gallery space,” Myers said.

‘til bronze flows through the streets is now on view through Dec. 4 on 211 W. Grace St. and at the intersection of North 21st St. and East Broad St. SMILE… can be viewed until Nov. 29 at the intersection of West Jackson St and Chamberlayne Avenue.

Photos by David Tran unless otherwise noted

Recontextualizing the Lost Cause

Will Gonzalez | October 28, 2020

Topics: Confederate monuments, Edward Valentine, Jefferson Davis, Monument Avenue, Richmond protests, the Lost Cause, The Valentine, The Valentine Studio Project

Valentine museum founder Edward Valentine was responsible for sculpting multiple Confederate monuments around Richmond. Now the museum he founded hopes to display his statue of Jefferson Davis in order to confront the role Valentine, and Richmond, played in the Lost Cause.

Following the protests in Richmond over the summer and the subsequent removal of Confederate statues from Monument Avenue, some of those statues were taken to a wastewater treatment plant for storage. But for the majority of the statues, as with statues taken down across the country, their longterm destination is currently unknown. 

Some people have called for Confederate statues to be displayed in museums, but there are not many cases of that happening at the moment. However, the Valentine, a museum in Downtown Richmond near VCU’s medical campus, wants to acquire the statue of Jefferson Davis that formerly resided on Monument Ave. They hope to reinterpret and recontextualize the work in an upcoming exhibit, which will highlight Richmond’s role in the Lost Cause — and that of the Valentine itself.

The Valentine was co-founded in 1898 by Richmond sculptor Edward Virginius Valentine. Valentine was born in 1838 in Richmond. He studied as a bronze sculptor in Paris, Italy, and Berlin before returning to Virginia. Once he’d returned, he sculpted several statues, many of which were of Confederate figures, to be displayed across Virginia, as well as in Washington, D.C., and New Orleans.

Some Richmond statues that were produced by Valentine include Williams Carter Wickham in Monroe Park, Thomas Jefferson in front of the Jefferson Hotel, and both Matthew Maury and Jefferson Davis on Monument Avenue. As the sculptor of so many of Virginia’s Confederate monuments, Valentine is known as one of the primary creators of Lost Cause iconography.

Sculpture tools of Edward Valentine. Photo via The Valentine/Facebook

The Lost Cause movement began in the years following the Civil War. In the early 1900s, organizations such as the Sons and Daughters of the Confederacy erected Confederate statues in order to preserve racist power structures in the South. They also published and distributed textbooks instilling the notion that the Civil War began over states’ rights and the threat from the increasingly aggressive North, as opposed to over slavery. 

“Part of the role [Valentine] plays is creating a series of monuments and sculptures related to the Civil War. But he also becomes part of a movement to create a new story around the Civil War,” said Bill Martin, the museum’s director. “All of these things created, at least for white people in the South, a sense of comfort. They were dealing with something that was so horrible, the only way you could look back at it was to create a myth.”

The Lost Cause picked up steam in the 1880s and lasted well into the 20th century. The first statue on Monument Avenue, Robert E. Lee, was erected in 1890 and Matthew Maury, the last one to arrive before the unveiling of Arthur Ashe in 1996, wasn’t erected until 1929. Lost Cause imagery and messages were prominent in The Valentine until the 1930s, when the museum, which had been run by the Valentine family throughout its history, began to be managed by a professional staff. At the time, The Valentine was the only museum in Richmond.

“We’re art, we’re science, we’ve got archaeological stuff, you name it,” said Martin. “We were the Smithsonian of Richmond.”

With the shift in management came a shift in focus for the museum as well, to Virginia’s history — but not the revisionist history that was characteristic of the Lost Cause era. In the 1950s, The Valentine curated one the earliest exhibitions on Richmond’s Jewish community, followed by exhibits on African Americans in the city.

“In the last 50 years, the institution has been pushing people to think about Richmond’s history differently,” said Martin.

The Valentine intends to continue providing a candid look at the city’s history with The Valentine Studio Project, their upcoming exhibit that will reinterpret and recontextualize the work of Valentine. The center of this exhibit will be the statue sculpted by Edward Valentine of Confederate president Jefferson Davis in its current state, covered in pink paint and dents from being knocked down into the street by demonstrators in June.

The Jefferson Davis statue on Monument Avenue, immediately after being toppled by protesters on June 11, 2020. Photo by Landon Shroder.

The acquisition of the statue has to be approved by City Council, and the museum plans to use 2021 as a planning period in order to get the exhibit ready while they await the decision from the local government. The museum has also published a survey online, which is open until November 1, to get an idea of what the public knows about the Lost Cause, as well as whether they are interested in things such as guided tours through the exhibits.

“If you’re talking about racism, do you just want to talk about it with the people you came with? Do you want to talk about it with your family members after the fact? Or is something you might be comfortable discussing in a small group setting?” said Christina Vida, the exhibition’s curator. “For us, that’s going to help us gauge not only the normal visitor experience, but also some of the programs that we’ll continue to plan for once the studio space is open to the public.”

By displaying the statue in its current state, The Valentine intends to tell the story of the Lost Cause and Richmond’s pivotal role in the movement, but also of the protests that took place in the city’s streets this summer.

“With most of the city’s Confederate statues having come down in June and early July of 2020, it puts a physical end point on the Lost Cause public art here in town,” said Vida. “And yet, there are so many impacts that we’re still experiencing, whether it’s in housing or healthcare or education disparities, that just taking down public art isn’t going to fix.”

The Valentine hopes that, by starting with history and moving to current events, they can show the ways in which the decisions Richmond made a century ago are still impacting the city today.

“We would like to address 2020,” said Vida, “so that when our guests leave The Valentine, they walk out with fresh eyes, and are thinking about how Richmond 100 or 150 years ago is still present.”

Top Photo by Joey Wharton

Get Up Offa That Thing

Laura Drummond | September 17, 2020

Topics: Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, Albemarle County Courthouse, At Ready, Blue Ribbon Commission on Race Memorials and Public Spaces, Charlottesville, Confederate monuments, confederate statues, Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, the Lost Cause

On Saturday, a crowd cheered as the “At Ready” Confederate statue was removed from its place of prominence at the Albemarle County Courthouse near Charlottesville.

The August 2017 events in Charlottesville were the catalyst for the removal of Confederate monuments around the country, but the area had yet to see any of its own monuments removed — that is, until Saturday, September 12. On that day, the “At Ready” statue, located on the lawn of the Albemarle County Circuit Court near downtown Charlottesville, was taken down.  

For 111 years, the 19-foot-tall bronze monument, depicting a life-size Confederate soldier, stood in front of the Albemarle County Courthouse. The County of Albemarle, City of Charlottesville, and the United Daughters of the Confederacy paid to install the statue, along with two cannons and cannonballs, in 1909. The county-owned property is a few blocks from the statue of General Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville’s Market Street Park, the proposed removal of which led to the Unite the Right Rally in August 2017.

The statue as it appeared pre-removal. Photo via Matt Talhelm/Twitter

More than 100 masked spectators, including current and former elected officials, community members, and activists, assembled along East Jefferson Street, just outside of the metal construction barricades erected at Court Square, to see the historic moment unfold. Some gathered as early as 6 a.m., witnessing the arrival of trucks, a forklift, and other moving equipment, along with workers in hard hats, safety vests, and face masks, who were tasked with the removal.

The overcast sky could have laid a somber air over the proceedings, but the crowd was upbeat and celebratory. “It’s a great day for Charlottesville,” one community member said amongst the crowd. WXTJ 100.1 FM, the University of Virginia’s student radio station, broadcast from the street, playing tunes like Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come,” Gil Scott-Heron’s “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” and James Brown’s “Get Up Offa That Thing.” People danced as they kept an eye on the process, cheering and clapping each time one of the items moved from its location — first a cannon, then another, followed by the statue, and finally its base and cannonballs. 

Photo by Erin Edgerton, via Twitter

The County of Albemarle planned to hold an official community gathering at Court Square to commemorate the event. “The community put the statue up, and we really wanted the community to be part of taking the statue down,” said Emily Kilroy, Director of Communications and Public Engagement. Ultimately, Albemarle opted for a livestream event, as local ordinances restrict gatherings to 50 people.

“We worked really hard to plan an inclusive event,” Kilroy said. “We wanted it to be an educational opportunity for people to understand why this is so significant.” The livestream, which is still available on the County of Albemarle Facebook page, included history about the statue’s placement in 1909, information about its removal, and an up-close view of the work. 

For many, this day was years in the making. In 2018, activist Matthew Christensen petitioned the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors to remove the “At Ready” statue. Discussions around the removal of statues within the city’s limits began even earlier. In 2016, the City of Charlottesville organized the Blue Ribbon Commission on Race, Memorials, and Public Spaces (BRC), which sought public comment on the statues and made recommendations to Charlottesville City Council.

“This is a moment of redemption, a moment of reconciliation, and a moment where we move the needle of progress in a positive way,” said local activist and Chair of the BRC Don Gathers, who was in attendance for Saturday’s statue removal.

Photo by Erin Edgerton, via Twitter

In August, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to remove the “At Ready” statue from its location on the courthouse lawn. Virginia law prevented localities from removing Confederate monuments prior to July 1 of this year, at which point new legislation went into effect, granting local governments the power to determine what to do with these statues.

According to Scottsville District Supervisor Donna Price, the decision to remove the statue, cannons, and cannonballs from their prominent location at the courthouse was easy. “I believe courthouses are our hallowed halls of justice, and nothing except that which elevates a sense of equal justice, social justice, equal rights, should be on courthouse grounds,” said Price.

What to do with these items, on the other hand, presented a challenge. According to state law, the Board of Supervisors had to wait 30 days after its vote to remove the statue, during which time offers must be made to relocate the statue to a museum, historical society, government, or military battlefield. After reviewing a list of potential recipients, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors ultimately determined that the Confederate items would be relocated to a Civil War battlefield under the stewardship of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation (SVBF). The County of Albemarle paid approximately $63,000 to a private contractor to complete the work of removing the items; the SVBF covered the cost of transportation. 

Price and others were concerned about the recipient, but there was not a sufficient consensus among the Board of Supervisors to defer the disposition decision. “While the choice of the recipient may not necessarily have been fully satisfactory to every member of the Board,” Price said, “the removal and disposition was ultimately determined by the six of us to be the best decision we could make under the circumstances that we had at that time.”

Photo by Erin Edgerton, via Twitter

Local activists shared their displeasure about the statue’s new location. University of Virginia Associate Professor of Religious Studies and community organizer Jalane Schmidt said, “I was really glad when they voted unanimously to get rid of it but very disappointed with where it’s going.” Schmidt described the SVBF as “a major purveyor of the Lost Cause here in our region,” adding, “It is not morally or ethically acceptable to be disposing of our toxic waste at the expense of other communities that had no say at all in this stuff coming to their community.” 

Between the City of Charlottesville, the County of Albemarle, and the University of Virginia, there are a number of monuments still standing that are considered problematic by local activists. Among them are monuments to Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson in Charlottesville, the removal of which is currently being prevented by an injunction. The Virginia Supreme Court will hear a Charlottesville lawsuit, including an appeal of the injunction, in November.

In light of all the remaining statues, activists considered the removal of “At Ready” a positive step, but far from a complete victory. “This is just another battle in the war. Our ancestors have been fighting the same war for centuries now,” Gathers said. “We certainly can’t give up the fight at this point. It’s a victory won, but there are many more that still need to be won.”

Top Photo by Erin Edgerton, via Twitter

From Pandemic to Protests: Chronicling Our Community During COVID-19

Rachel Scott Everett | August 14, 2020

Topics: Alicia Diaz, angela patton, Anna Laughlin, black lives matter, carol adams, Christina Marie, Confederate monuments, coronavirus, covid 19, Crixell Matthews, Daniel Davis, Girls for A Change, Laura Pho, Liza Mickens, Lorenzo Gibson, noah scalin, OnHoldAtHome, Shayy Winn, Sideeye, Tania del Carmen, Yeni Nostalji

As the COVID-19 pandemic upended all of our lives this spring, Rachel Everett got together with photographer Tania del Carmen Fernandez to document how well Richmond is holding up. Their multimedia project is called #OnHoldAtHome.

In March 2020, COVID-19 disrupted the lives of people all over the world. From the fear of falling ill to the awkwardness of social distancing to the adjustment of working from home or losing a job, our normal routines were upended on many levels. 

As a creative director, my business, like that of countless other non-essential workers, felt an immediate impact from the pandemic. Despite the downturn, or perhaps inspired by it, the desire to create was stronger than ever. My neighbor, fine art photographer Tania del Carmen Fernández, felt the same way. After a year’s worth of previously scheduled shoots was canceled, she was determined to find a meaningful way to remain productive.

At a social distancing gathering in our Fan neighborhood, it became clear the pandemic was affecting people differently. As a parent, Tania had the additional layer of complexity of trying to figure out childcare, while an immuno-compromised neighbor worried about exposure at the grocery store. We were all weathering the same storm, but we were definitely not in the same boat.

COVID-19 affects everyone, everywhere. But it affects different groups of people differently, deepening existing inequalities.

–Angela
“I think we can truly grow as a society from this experience,” states Noah Scalin (pictured here with his family.) Scalin is one of many local artists collaborating with Hamilton Glass, creator of the public art project Mending Walls. Photo by Tania del Carmen.

Given the varied situations just in our neighborhood, we knew more stories were out there. Therefore, Tania and I joined forces to create #OnHoldAtHome, a photo series documenting the hopes, fears, and lessons of Richmonders during COVID-19. As weeks turned into months, we expanded the project to feature people in other neighborhoods to better reflect our diverse community.

In May, the challenges of the pandemic were then met with the rise of protests over George Floyd’s killing, bringing the topic of racial and social inequality front and center. Richmond, former capital of the Confederacy, soon found itself in the national spotlight with public demands for removal of Confederate memorials, amidst the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. On July 1, Mayor Levar Stoney ordered the removal of all city-owned Confederate statues, stating, “Richmond is no longer the Capital of the Confederacy – it is filled with diversity and love for all – and we need to demonstrate that.”

What began as a project to unite people through shared experiences of sheltering in place has now transformed into a powerful documentation of this historic time in Richmond. #OnHoldAtHome aims to provide a platform to help amplify voices and foster open, honest discussions on race, politics, and systemic inequality. It is our hope that by sharing stories, we have an opportunity to learn and grow with one another and ultimately, cultivate a kinder, more compassionate, and more empathetic society.

It turns out that community, human connection, companionship… that is what keeps me sane.

— Christina
Christina Marie is a graphic designer and founder/bandleader of Turkish pop band Yeni Nostalji. She admits she’s struggled with the amount of time she’s spent alone, and feeling like she’s not doing enough to help. Photo by Tania del Carmen.

#OnHoldAtHome is currently made up of three distinct chapters:

Chapter 1: The Lockdown Begins (March 15-April 19)

The first of many COVID-19 cases is reported in Virginia. Governor Northam declares a state of emergency and extensive closures of schools and businesses begin. As we witness the number of cases exponentially increase each week, the dangers of the virus become evident. Face masks and social distancing become the norm, and residents are urged to stay at home as much as possible.

When times are tough, it’s important to help and be open minded to those around you.

— Nick
While martial arts specialist Master Lorenzo Gibson (left) is focused on financial and health concerns, his son Nick worries about social implications as people forget how to interact with others who have different beliefs and values. Photo by Tania del Carmen.

Chapter 2: Time Loses Meaning (April 19-May 24)

Days blur into weeks. Weeks into months. By the end of April, the U.S. reports over 1 million COVID-19 cases. The U.S. economy shrinks by nearly 5 percent (the steepest drop since the Great Recession in 2008) and unemployment is at nearly 15 percent. While there’s a general restlessness, people also try to make the most of this rare time when the entire world is paused.

Having had COVID-19, I’m living proof that the virus is brutal and can harm very healthy people.

— Anna
“I’m not sure my lungs will ever be the same,” states Anna Laughlin (pictured here with her husband and three children). Laughlin contracted the virus earlier this year and says the experience has been “very isolating and terrifying.” Photo by Tania del Carmen.

Chapter 3: Revolution In The Air (May 24-present)

After Memorial Day weekend, the country learns of the senseless killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Protests erupt, and the Black Lives Matter movement sweeps the nation as well as abroad. In Richmond, Confederate statues are defaced and, eventually, most of them are removed. The pandemic remains, but the larger issues of racial and social inequality take precedence.

Racial and social inequality has always existed, but not many people (including those in power) were willing to discuss it…

— Shayy
Shayy Winn (right) stands with her mother and sister. The aspiring singer, who has a neurological condition causing vision impairment, competed in American Idol last year. She says the pandemic has helped her appreciate life more. Photo by Tania del Carmen.

Yes, we argue, but we also laugh more now.

— Alicia
“The depth of the inequities in this country and the world are alarming,” states Alicia Diaz (pictured here with her daughters). Originally from Puerto Rico, Diaz is a dance artist and educator who is the process of reimagining her livelihood. Photo by Tania del Carmen.

The pandemic has given us a certain amount of appreciation for routine and our home.

— Crixell
“Part of me hopes that we’ll see some positive change… but I’m also fairly pessimistic when it comes to humans,” states Crixell Matthews (pictured here with her fiancée, Morgan). Matthews, a photojournalist at VPM, has been documenting the RVA protests. Photo by Tania del Carmen.

This is an opportunity for us to search within ourselves and check for our own privileges.

— Daniel
Daniel Davis, who is pursuing a career in music production, recently produced a socially distanced collaboration – all proceeds are being donated to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the Color of Change organizations. Photo by Tania del Carmen.

Black lives have mattered for centuries, and will continue to matter in the future.

— Liza
Liza Mickens (left), great-great granddaughter of Maggie L. Walker, is encouraged by the real, honest conversations that are happening around the inequalities of our health and financial systems, as well as police brutality. Photo by Tania del Carmen.

I do not think we will ever return to normal, but we are trying to live each day guided by hope and gratefulness.

— Laura
Laura Pho’s family is one of many who have chosen to self-isolate together. Laura (pictured above) is flanked by her two daughters, her mother (left) and mother-in-law (right). Not long after this photo was taken, Laura’s mother, Lucy Le, died unexpectedly. As part of their Buddhist faith, the family is honoring her in a 49-day mourning ritual. Photo by Tania del Carmen.

The world has been at a standstill, with clear minds and hearts – the truth rises.

— Carol
Carol Adams, an essential worker for 30 years, acknowledges the difficulty in communicating and educating the deadliness of the virus. “Surviving this new norm is going to require a lot of patience from everyone,” states Adams. Photo by Tania del Carmen.

According to The New York Times, the U.S. has the highest number of reported COVID-19 cases in the world, now surpassing five million. As we make our way through the first wave of this pandemic, it’s clear the world has shifted and will never be the same. While no one knows what chapter is coming next, one thing’s for certain: there are stories that still need to be told.

To learn more about the photo project or to nominate someone to be featured, visit #OnHoldAtHome and follow the stories on Instagram at @OnHoldAtHome.

Top Photo: Angela Patton in a moment of quiet reflection outside her home. Patton is CEO of Girls For A Change, a non-profit youth development organization aimed at empowering Black girls and other girls of color. Photo by Tania del Carmen. All photos were taken with the necessary precautions and from a distance of 6+ feet.

Bringing Down Monuments With Zines

Carley Welch | July 30, 2020

Topics: art, black lives matter, blm richmond, blm rva, Confederate monuments, deface this monument, richmond protest, richmond va monuments, rva protest, symbols of southern pride

An interactive protest: Richmond artist Anna Gahagan’s latest zine pushes for social and racial equality, detailing confederate monuments, police mazes, and the road to justice. 

As protesters continue taking to the streets after 62 days of demonstrations, artists have stepped in to contextualize this moment in Richmond’s history. Anna Gahagan, a local Art History high school teacher, has created a zine titled “Deface This Monument” — a phrase that’s close to home for many who have joined the movement. 

The project began following the removal of the Columbus monument by protesters at Byrd Park on June 9. Gahagan’s zine includes graphics and cut-outs depicting the need for removal of Confederate monuments and social justice reforms called for by the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as covering other social issues like redlining. 

Gahagan’s latest zine expands on the mission of her first collection, “Symbols of Southern Pride,” which she began in 2017 after the violence at Charlottesville’s Unite The Right rally. The original artwork was created as a way to rebuild, but also acknowledge, the South’s important yet hurtful past.

IMAGE: “Deface This Monument” Zine by Anna Gahagan

“Those parts of history in the South might be more painful,” Gahagan said, “but I think [they] are important to know for people who, like myself, want to make impactful social change.” 

To visualize her attempt to rebuild — but also not forget — the South’s past, Gahagan asked her friends what comes to mind when they think of the South. She received some lighthearted answers, like “biscuits and gravy,” “walking outside with no shoes on,” and “mosquitoes,” which she included in her first project. 

“I started this drawing series by trying to find common experiences between people who consider themselves ‘Southerners,’” Gahagan said. “Something that would branch race, gender, or socioeconomic status… these collective memories.” 

“Symbols of Southern Pride” was the idea that kickstarted Gahagan’s current “Deface This Monument” project. Both zines work to support minorities, especially Black people, who have historically been at a disadvantage everywhere — but especially in the South. 

IMAGE: “Deface This Monument” Zine by Anna Gahagan

While Gahagan can’t physically join the protests alongside hundreds of people right now, she believes that “Deface This Monument” can be a form of protest in itself.

“I wanted to create a form of protest that I felt was accessible to people who might be in a similar position as myself,” Gahagan said. “When we’re protesting, we need to also make things accessible to people who have a disability.” 

Just by the name of Gahagan’s latest project, it’s an easy guess that she hopes to see the monuments taken down once and for all. While she hopes they’ll all be removed, in the grand scheme of things, she said it’s merely “a drop in the bucket.” 

“Sure, it’s great that these statues came down,” Gahagan said. “But again, I feel like it’s more of a distraction than it is a progressive move.”

In addition to bringing down Confederate monuments, Gahagan hopes the ongoing protests will help achieve other social justice goals in the area. She specifically wants to see more support for Richmond City Schools. Basic amenities like working sinks in school bathrooms, classrooms without mold, and struggles for funding to provide quality education in lower-income areas of Richmond are all factors holding back the public school system. Gahagan believes improving on these issues can help to eliminate social injustices. 

IMAGE: “Deface This Monument” Zine by Anna Gahagan

Community outreach is another remedy that Gahagan holds dear. She has made an effort to get to know her neighbors well, and is grateful for it; she noted that not being close with one’s neighborhood creates a gap in the community which ultimately causes more issues. 

“I think that’s a good first step, [for people] to get to know their neighbors and communities,” Gahagan said. “Put in the effort to be a member of that community… make sure your community is safe. I think, in the long run, that eliminates the need for police.” 

To learn more about Gahagan’s work, find her on Instagram. View and download “Deface This Monument” in digital form here.

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