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An End Of An Era

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This morning, over 130 years after it was installed, the Commonwealth of Virginia finally removed the statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee from Monument Avenue. RVA Mag’s John Donegan and Branden Wilson were on hand to see history being made.

Robert E. Lee, former commander of the Confederacy, awoke atop his bronze horse today to clamoring construction workers, whomping gasoline generators, and a lifting hook dangling over his head.

Since its placement in 1890, the statue of Lee has overlooked the city from the center of Richmond’s famed Monument Avenue traffic circle. Just before 9 am this morning, though, the statue was lowered onto a flatbed truck, after a construction worker who strapped harnesses around Lee and his horse cheered on the crowd from atop his cherry picker, and led the countdown: “Three, two, one!” The operation to remove the statue lasted maybe 50 minutes. 

“I think it’s long overdue,” said Charles Otey, 67, a hospital worker at Virginia Medical Center. “What I’m so proud of is the young black kids and young white kids who came together to make this happen.”

The removal of the Lee statue marked the end of an era of Confederate monuments in a city that is arguably infamous for them. Monument Avenue, the wide boulevard that housed the most notable of the controversial statues, was long a proud feature of the city, and an international tourist site. Defenders of the monument today continue to celebrate the statue, and attest that Lee was not just a native Virginian but a Civil War hero. The majority, though, see it as a monument glorifying slavery.

The emotions surrounding the removal today were the culmination of innumerable protests to remove the statues, driven by thousands of Americans who were ready to see them gone.

“From what I’ve seen, kids nowadays just want to smoke weed, make love and get money,” Otey said as the surrounding crowd cheered. “But I think the world has changed. It’s more diverse. So we don’t want or need something that celebrates slavery and oppression. Our kids have made this happen, because of George Floyd. I love this, man. I mean, just listen to this.”

Those in the crowd — hundreds clustered in pockets around a multi-block perimeter — let out jubilant shouts and occasional chants. After the statue was placed on the flatbed, the crew then began sawing it in half, along the general’s waistline, to ease the transportation process. 

The removal of Lee’s statue, one of the largest and most recognizable Confederate statues in the country, was expected to draw a large crowd. And though the removal didn’t begin until 8 am, some viewers showed up as early as 3:00 this morning. 

D.C. resident Tim Smith arrived at the avenue around 3:20 am. Throughout the course of the day, he penciled in a collage depicting scenes from Richmond’s history, from its burning by fleeing Confederate troops to iconic images from last year’s protests. He’s been chronicling events like this since 2017. He’s unsure what he’ll do with the latest piece once he’s finished.

“It’s a great day,” Smith said. “I’m from Gettysburg, PA, so it’s cathartic to see this.”

At 8:09 a.m., police opened a single gate into the viewing area. People politely rushed through the gate, some jogging with camera equipment or signs. Others sat back and photographed the rush. Richmond resident Chris Damon, who co-founded the local nonprofit Good Day RVA, filmed the event on a Super 8mm Camera. 

“I’ve been filming the protests since the pandemic era on my Super 8, and I feel like today is ‘Monumentally Important,’” Damon joked. “This is probably one of the most photographed spaces in the state, if not the country.” 

Damon said he’s filmed three cartridges — about 10 minutes of footage — since he began attending local protests in May 2020. 

“I was trying to bounce between being conscious of who I am as a white man, in filming, but also feel it’s necessary to capture something as well… vignettes of our city and our people,” Damon said. “It’s also beautiful to see how this space has been reclaimed.” 

Onlookers gathered behind the perimeter fence line to watch the removal. Many came to see the work of the past year through, and bid farewell to a statue that long stood as a symbol of racial injustice. Within the core of the crowd, speakers shared their reflections on the day. 

“When this statue was erected in the earlier part of the last century, right after Birth of a Nation, it instilled fear and asserted white supremacy — the supremacy of the white man — in every aspect of white culture,” said Muhammad, a Church Hill resident. “Today we’re still suffering from mass incarceration and segregation by redlining in our schools and neighborhoods.”

The two-ton statue was transported to the Virginia’s Goochland Women’s Correctional Center for temporary storage, until officials decide what to do with it, according to Dena Potter, a spokesperson for the state’s Department of General Services. Potter added that Governor Ralph Northam’s office would seek public input on the statue’s future. 

Northam ordered for the statue to be removed in June 2020, after the killing of black Americans such as George Floyd and Richmond resident Marcus-David Peters by police, which triggered nationwide protests over police brutality and racism.

“Virginia’s largest monument to the Confederate insurrection will come down this week,” Northam said in a statement Monday. “This is an important step in showing who we are and what we value as a commonwealth.”

The removal of the statue was impeded for over a year by lawsuits filed by a group of residents with property along Monument Ave, along with William Gregory, a descendant of signatories to a deed that promised the state’s protection.

“On behalf of all the Black men who have suffered in Richmond, I’d like to thank Governor Northam for having the balls to bring this thing down,” Muhammad said. “He stayed the course.”

The Supreme Court of Virginia ruled last week to deny protections sought in the two lawsuits challenging the statue’s removal. The count was unanimous. 

“Democracy is inherently dynamic,” Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn opined in the ruling​​. “Values change and public policy changes, too. The Government of the Commonwealth is entitled to select the views that it supports and the values that it wants to express.”

“Every vestige of white supremacy has to be removed,” Muhammad said. “We can enter a new renaissance in Virginia, a new mainstream where Richmond is a real, consistent democracy.”

Over 160 Confederate symbols — more than a dozen in Richmond alone — were renamed or removed from public spaces in 2020, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. The Lee statue was the first of five Confederate monuments erected on the avenue. 

Against Lee’s wishes, the statue was erected in his honor, towards a legacy he wished abandoned: southern white citizenry which perceived themselves as paragons who simply fought for heritage, against an overwhelming northern force. Despite exhaustive “Lost Cause”-based efforts to revise its record, history has made clear that the cause of the Confederacy was dependent on slavery and subjugation. 

“Richmond is no longer the capital of the confederacy,” Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said in a statement Monday. “We are a diverse, open, and welcoming city, and our symbols need to reflect this reality.” 

While many celebrated the day, others were quick to point out that systemic issues continue throughout the city. Many reckoned with the notion that the statue’s removal was nothing more than superficial change to satiate the masses. 

“I think it doesn’t mean much unless there’s a radical change to the structure of Richmond,” said one Monument Avenue resident, who preferred anonymity. “They should improve social services and the lives of marginalized folks who live around here. [Lee] is a symbol of white supremacy, [the statue] shouldn’t exist. But also look at all the people trying to protect it right now — [like the] cops who, on a daily basis, oppress the folks protesting to get this taken down.”

“We’ll see how this goes, but it feels to me like a play to make sure that folks are sated,” she added. “It’s a step, but if they don’t turn [the monument] into a community space, it doesn’t mean much.”

Whether out of pride, shame, or metallurgy, Lee’s statue continued staring straight ahead, even as he was strapped to a flatbed and split down the middle. 

Crews will return Thursday to remove plaques from the monument base and replace a time capsule containing Confederate memorabilia.

State officials said they will leave the 40-foot granite pedestal in place for now, adding that the city of Richmond and the Virginia Department of Fine Arts will work to “reimagine Monument Avenue,” according to a statement released earlier today by Governor Northam’s office. Last December, Northam earmarked $11 million for redesigning the avenue, with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts at the creative helm.

“For too long, Richmond’s Monument Avenue told an incomplete and inaccurate story of the city and Virginia’s past,” said Alex Nyerges, Director and CEO of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. “The funding to transform Monument Avenue will allow us to re-envision an inspirational, forward thinking, inclusive, and healing place for everyone who lives in and visits our city and state.”

As for the pedestal itself, some racial justice advocates don’t want it removed, seeing the graffiti-covered base as a symbol of the protest movement that emerged in the city, and proof that the public can instigate some change. A group of VCU students joked that they should erect a statue of Young Jeezy or, more seriously, Harriet Tubman. One woman mentioned the late Alex Trebek. Most offered names of Virginia natives. 

“They should build another monument, but make it one that is all inclusive and tells a story about everything and represents everybody,” Otey said. “It ain’t just about Black and white. I mean, look at Afghanistan and Mexico. Get a picture of everybody pointing up to the sky. Either way, all I want is peace and happiness.”

Photos by Branden Wilson

Spring Awakening: A Vision for Richmond’s Post-Pandemic Renaissance

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What’s the mood out there, Richmond? Excited? Anxious? Relieved? 

It’s been two weeks since Virginia ended its universal indoor mask mandate in accordance with new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). All distancing and capacity restrictions have been eased as well, thanks to the state’s increasing vaccination rates and declining COVID-19 cases. The announcement feels like a major step in returning to life before a global pandemic rocked our world. 

For some, the announcement couldn’t come soon enough. But for others, the abrupt change feels strange and disorienting. It’s understandable. After a year in lockdown, we’ve gotten used to the stagnation of everyday life. Some researchers suggest our brains have been rewired, precipitating a mental health crisis (Source: The Guardian). From coping with the loss of everyday normalcy to the stress of trying to stay safe (and sane), COVID has affected all of us in varying degrees – physically, mentally, and socially. 

The latest statistics suggest our Groundhog Day existence may be coming to an end – at least for the time being. Virginia has administered over 8 million vaccines with over 68% of statewide adults having received at least one dose (Source: Virginia Department of Health). According to the Governor of Virginia’s website, we’re on track to meet President Biden’s goal of having 70% of adults vaccinated with at least one dose by July 4th.

This is all good news. With each day, our official reentry into society feels more real. It’s becoming more visible too. People are venturing outside, events are transitioning to in person, and our days of interacting solely on Zoom seem to be waning. 

As someone who recently joined the ranks of the fully vaccinated, I’ve easily seen more people and done more activities in the last month than I have in the last fifteen. And while I’m not necessarily seeking opportunities to shake hands or gather indoors with large crowds, it’s beginning to feel… not really normal, just a little less abnormal. Because let’s face it, after all we’ve been through, who can define what “normal” is anymore. 

As more people become vaccinated, Richmonders are venturing out to take advantage of the warm weather and in-person activities. Photo by EVERGIB / Brian Gibson.

This past year, we experienced nearly 600,000 COVID-related deaths in our country, the worst global economic crisis since the Great Depression, a racial reckoning after the killing of George Floyd, a rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans, an insurrection on the U.S. Capitol, and the deadliest gun violence in decades. That’s only what made the headlines and doesn’t take into account any personal struggles we dealt with – the repercussions of which may take years to reconcile.

While we might finally be getting on the other side of this pandemic, the challenges we face as a country, community, and as individuals are still present. It’s a sober reality that’s enough to make even the most optimistic person retreat back into isolation.

Yet at some point, we must emerge and start living life again – fully, emphatically, and with hope that things can, and will, be better. 

If there’s anything we’ve learned from this ordeal, it’s that life has to be more than merely existing. It can’t be all work and no play – or in many cases, no work and no play. We need to have experiences that enrich and inspire us; that expose us to different people and perspectives and that, quite simply, make us feel alive. 

More than anything, we need each other. Studies in biology, neuroscience, and psychology all show that humans are inherently social creatures. Whether extroverted, introverted, or somewhere in between, we are wired to connect. In addition to offering a sense of belonging, our interaction with one another is conducive to our overall enjoyment of life. 

Connection doesn’t always require conversation. Merely being in the presence of others fosters camaraderie that’s necessary for our well-being. It’s why listening to live music, surrounded by people who are fully engaged in the moment, makes us feel amazing. In fact, any shared experience – from eating out to dancing the night away – provides social support that quite literally, helps us live longer (Source: National Library of Medicine).

In the West, particularly in the United States, we tend to overlook the importance of communal connection in our lives. In other words, we don’t always recognize, much less value, the role that people play in our happiness. We may even deny our dependence on others, but it’s as fundamental to our survival as food and water. (Source: Scientific American)

I believe acknowledging, and honoring, this insight is key to our reintegration into society. If we intrinsically need people in our life, then it’s vital we cultivate opportunities that bring us together, naturally and effortlessly. Experiences that remind us that the best moments are often those made with others – friends, family, and yes, even strangers. 

Local jazz & sound artist Victor Haskins performs at the Fan Arts Stroll earlier this spring with bassist Randall Pharr and drummer Tony Martucci. Photo by EVERGIB / Brian Gibson.

On long walks around town, I’m witnessing ways our city is starting to make that happen. The most noticeable difference: a flock to the outdoors. Dining now takes place on patios, sidewalks, parklets, and alleyways. In public parks, groups are engaged in every activity imaginable, from flag football to kickboxing to hip hop dance. Rooftops aren’t exclusively for happy hours, but for yoga classes, group lectures, and business meetings. 

Beyond taking advantage of warmer temperatures, the adaptation to the great outdoors signifies something deeper: a newfound interconnectedness. Seeing people out and about, especially in contrast to our isolating winter, is making our city feel more alive, accessible, and inclusive. We are appreciating life again – and each other. You can tell there’s a difference when you pass someone on the street these days – it feels good to make eye contact and greet someone with a smile. 

Indeed, how we meet, interact, and socialize is a huge part of our enjoyment of life. Last month, my historic rowhouse neighborhood was transformed into a world of post-pandemic creative bliss. The Fan Arts Stroll came about as a way for people to safely share their skills and talents in an open-air setting. Featuring sidewalk art, porch concerts, and food trucks, the grassroots event helped support local artists while also building community. 

Before COVID, my husband and I travelled a lot. In our wanders to nearly 60 countries across six continents, we noticed the importance that community plays in shaping a city’s culture. From the street food stalls of Bangkok to the colorful markets of New Delhi, people aren’t just existing together – they’re living together, wholly and intentionally.

One of my favorite aspects of life abroad is the ritualistic evening stroll that takes place in many cities around the world. Whether it’s the Passeggiata in Rome or the Paseo in Buenos Aires, the concept is the same. Before dinner, people of all ages take to the streets in the historic center to enjoy fresh air, a little bit of exercise, and each other’s company. 

It’s uplifting to see such a diverse mix of people of all ages and lifestyles embrace being together – students, professionals, families, retirees and more. Best of all, strolling is entirely free, involves no planning, and has zero agenda. Instead of trying to make plans or coordinate schedules in advance, everyone already knows where to go and what to do. All they have to do is show up. 

I’ve often wondered what an evening stroll might look like in Richmond. Happy hour on the lawn at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is the closest I’ve gotten. Before pandemic life rendered all social gatherings null and void, I’d stake out a spot at the top of the hill on most Friday nights in the summer. Nothing beats the feeling of soaking up beautiful scenery while catching up with friends, people-watching, and simply being present. 

Locals enjoy the popular happy hour on the lawn at Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in pre-pandemic times. Photo by EVERGIB / Rachel Scott Everett.

In my musings, I imagine people convening not just on the VMFA lawn, but along the steps of the grand entryway of nearby Virginia Museum of History & Culture. In many countries, it’s not uncommon for people to gather outside prominent public buildings like libraries, theaters, and churches. 

Between the landmark museums, the stroll would start along Arthur Ashe Boulevard where food trucks might be parked, serving snacks and refreshments. It would then continue down Monument Avenue, Richmond’s redefined Champs-Elysées. Sites of former Confederate statues would be replaced with bubbling fountains that light up in the evening to create a spectacular promenade that’s as magical as it is historic. 

The fencing around Marcus-David Peters Circle would be removed, allowing the space to once again become a community gathering spot, open to all. Like any central square in Europe, it would serve as a common meeting point – a place for people to come together in the heart of the city. A living symbol of how our dark past is making way for a bright future. When it’s time for dinner, strollers would make their way to local restaurants in the neighborhood or continue their evening elsewhere. 

The beauty of this concept is that it doesn’t have to be relegated to a single area in Richmond. After all, fostering a sense of community isn’t bound by geography. It’s a mindset – a way in which we perceive and behave towards other people. Through our attitude and actions, each of us can demonstrate our interconnectedness and in turn, have it be felt and reverberated throughout our entire city.

In the 14th century, Europe experienced an incredible revitalization of art, culture, and philosophy that was later referred to as The Renaissance, taken from the French word for “rebirth.” While many factors led to this impactful time period, noted scholars say the end of The Black Death (also known as the Plague) was the primary impetus. 

The global epidemic, which lasted for centuries, killed up to 200 million people and decimated populations worldwide. Life has always been short, but particularly in the Middle Ages when modern medicine did not exist (get vaccinated, everyone, and encourage others to do the same).

The Renaissance brought about enormous social change. One of its most defining aspects was humanism, an intellectual movement that promoted the importance of education, as well as civic virtue, defined as “a person’s full potential both for their own good and for the good of the society in which they live” (Source: World History Encyclopedia). To that end, the Renaissance wasn’t just about celebrating new ideas; it was about celebrating people. 

What comes next is uncharted territory for all of us. But as we navigate the new chapter ahead, we have an opportunity to renew our commitment to community. We can help show others – and ourselves – why coming together is necessary to our lives and our collective pursuit of happiness. It can be as simple as looking up from our phones to say hello, supporting a new local restaurant, or taking a stroll around the neighborhood.

Now’s the time, Richmond. See you out there… 

Top Photo: Locals meander the streets during the bi-annual Fan Arts Stroll last month. Photo by EVERGIB / Brian Gibson.

Recontextualizing the Lost Cause

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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

Op-Ed: What Happens Now? Monument Avenue’s Empty Pedestals

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Monument Avenue’s Confederate monuments are slated for removal, but landscape architect Annie Lynch raises a more fundamental question: when they are gone, what will we do with their pedestals?

An empty pedestal signals either an ending or a beginning.

Earlier this month, Governor Ralph Northam announced that the statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee that presides over Monument Avenue will be removed. In his announcement, the Governor acknowledged that the future location of Lee’s statue will be the subject of community engagement efforts and public debate in the coming months. While the removal is currently the subject of multiple lawsuits, the state government continues to work toward the eventual removal of the statue. The fate of Lee’s vacated pedestal, however, was not addressed.

Recognizing that pedestals serve as city infrastructure is central to appreciating how Confederate monuments function in public space. Lee’s massive, sculpted base cannot be functionally distinguished from the form of the traffic roundabout; this merger is designed to blur the extent of the monument and cement this figure as immovable, like the road itself. 

Drivers trying to access downtown Richmond or the interstate are funneled around Lee’s imposing pedestal, a design that ensures that the monument effectively dictates the city’s movement. As essential transportation infrastructure, citizens are unable to avoid, challenge, or change the monument and, by association, its ideology. 

Photo by Creative Dog Media, via Instagram

We must recognize that the removal of the statue does not constitute the removal of the monument. An empty pedestal serves only to remind us that the figurative statue is but one component of a larger spatial system, designed to elevate a single historic narrative and obscure those that would counter it. 

On Monument Avenue, to stop at the removal of the monument figure may be missing an opportunity to refute the terms set by those designers, planners, and government agents who used these monuments to reinforce racial terror. Repopulating emptied pedestals with figures worthy of memorialization can address the underrepresentation of the city’s Black leaders in public space; the obvious merits of this approach have led to its adoption in many Southern cities.

Deconstructing the pedestal, however, offers a more thorough rebuke of the Confederate project. After the pedestal’s deconstruction, many may exclaim in frustration: “But the removal is not complete; the traffic circle remains!” Indeed, if we see the remaining circular patch of grass designed to support Lee’s monument as a critical component of a nefarious city-planning strategy, our site of work must expand to include the whole of Richmond.

Beginning with the deconstruction of the pedestal, the city could author an expansive definition of monumentality and memorialization that critiques broad historical narratives, honors and amplifies local forms of memory practice, and elevates the memorial qualities of lived, everyday experience.  Strategies that set a precedent for an expanded monumentality can be found in some of Richmond’s completed and ongoing projects. 

The excavation of Lumpkin’s Slave Jail in Shockoe Bottom, begun in 2005, serves as a particularly apt example of how erasure can be countered through the deconstruction of urban infrastructure. Richmond’s Slave Trail also recovers the geography of the city’s suppressed history through the creation of a network of sites that, together, constitute a living memorial to the enslaved persons brought to the nation’s largest slave port. These methods of deconstruction, recovery, and dispersal could be leveraged in Richmond’s historically Black communities such as Jackson Ward, Oregon Hill, and Carver Residential, many of which have been severely harmed by Richmond’s recent infrastructure projects.

Widespread excavations that rely on community involvement and landscape design could build off of the existing network of discovery, remembrance, and celebration of Black life in Richmond. Monument Avenue, once stripped of its pedestals, could be reconstructed to play a role in these efforts, as a site for display of excavated soil and artifacts from sites throughout the city.  

Photo by Creative Dog Media, via Instagram

For decades, the design and planning disciplines have been complicit in constructing the physical environment of racism. The removal of Confederate monuments, redefined as a city-wide project, calls upon designers and planners to work with Black communities to create a new memorial landscape that excavates obliterated spaces, and with them silenced histories.

The strategy I outline seizes upon the city and state’s renewed sense of urgency regarding Confederate monument removal and leverages it towards a more fundamental reimagining of the city’s infrastructure of memory. How might we begin to rewrite the history of Richmond without the use of pedestals and plaques? As we celebrate the remarkable progress the removal of Monument Avenue’s Confederate statues represents, we must challenge ourselves to understand this moment as only the beginning.

Note: Op-Eds are contributions from guest writers and do not reflect editorial policy.

Top Photo by Creative Dog Media, via Instagram

Peaceful Protest Movement In Richmond Continues To Grow

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Protests around the city, and into surrounding counties, have continued on a daily basis throughout this week. Here’s what it looks like on the streets.

Last night, the city got a message that many of its residents have been waiting for: Governor Ralph Northam would be taking steps to remove the Robert E. Lee Monument from Monument Avenue, while Mayor Levar Stoney sought to remove the Confederate monuments on Monument Avenue that are currently under city control.

Regardless of this massive change, one that can only be seen as a success on the part of Richmond’s protest movement, many goals of the city’s protesters remain unmet, and so people have continued to gather on the streets of the city, and even the surrounding counties. Despite a few high-profile incidents at the beginning of the current wave of nightly protests, things have largely remained peaceful, and are if anything becoming more peaceful and more focused as the days go on. The message remains focused and clear: end police killings of unarmed black people in America. Black Lives Matter.

Here are some images from the last few days of protests, captured by RVA Mag staff and contributors.

Projection by Dustin Klein, Photo by Alexis Delilah
Photo by Nils Westergard
Photo by Andre Mags
Photo by Andre Mags
Photo by Andre Mags
Photo by Katja Timm
Photo by Nils Westergard
Photo by Nils Westergard
Photo by Andre Mags
Photo by Nils Westergard
Photo by Nils Westergard
Photo by Nils Westergard
Photo by Nils Westergard
Photo by Nils Westergard

Top Photo by Andre Mags

Democrat Majority Could Bring Monumental Change to Confederate Symbols

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Under the Dillon Rule, all decisions made by Virginia localities must be authorized by the General Assembly. Thus far, the GA has not allowed Richmond and other VA cities to remove Confederate monuments. But a new Democratic majority may change all that in 2020.

Virginia has 110 Confederate monuments, many of which are housed in Richmond, the former capital of the Confederacy. Among the most notable are the five towering monuments of Confederate leaders lining Monument Avenue. Others live in neighborhoods across the city from Church Hill to Bellevue.

The city is home to significant Civil War buildings, including the American Civil War Museum and White House of the Confederacy. Street names such as Confederate Avenue inhabit the Northside, while Jefferson Davis Highway, named for the president of the Confederacy, runs along the city and throughout the state. Schools such as John B. Cary Elementary — named after a Confederate soldier who later served as his district’s superintendent — and George Mason Elementary — named after a slave-owning Founding Father — still exist, even though concern for renaming the schools has been articulated. 

In recent years, residents have been pushing for the Monument Avenue monuments to come down. But the statues, which represent the dark and violent history of slavery for some Virginians and their families, stand tall, staring down the median of a prominent and busy avenue. This is in part because the power to remove the monuments has been denied to localities under the Dillon Rule, which allows the state to limit the powers of local governments. However, a new Democratic majority in Virginia’s state legislature may open the door to more local government control — and perhaps the removal of the monuments.

The Dillon Rule is derived from the 1868 written decision by Judge John Dillon of Iowa. Dillon identified local governments as political subdivisions of the state government. According to the American Legislative Exchange Council, 39 states apply the Dillon Rule to some capacity. Thirty-one apply it to all localities, while eight use the rule for only certain municipalities. The Virginia Supreme Court adopted the Dillon Rule in 1896.

James Ewell Brown (J. E. B.) Stuart was commander of the Cavalry Corps of Lee’s army during the Civil War. Photo by Susan Shibut, Capital News Service

Because Virginia law states that localities cannot remove war monuments after they have been established, the Dillon Rule has prevented localities such as Richmond and Charlottesville from passing measures to remove their Confederate monuments.

When the General Assembly resumes session in January, a Democratic majority would make it easier for legislators to make a new law stating that local governments have the power to remove Confederate monuments, or a law that bans them outright. John Aughenbaugh, assistant professor of political science at Virginia Commonwealth University, said a new law is a way he could see localities gain the power to make their own decisions about the monuments.

“I don’t think many members of the General Assembly want to get blamed for upsetting those who still like the monuments,” Aughenbaugh said. “But they’ll be willing to go ahead and give the local governments the authority to make that decision on their own.”

Jim Nolan, press secretary for Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, said that increasing local authority has been a legislative priority for the mayor and will remain one heading into the 2020 General Assembly session. He said the mayor believes the General Assembly should grant authority to allow localities to determine the future of Confederate monuments. 

“Cities should have the right to choose if they want to contextualize or permanently remove monuments,” Nolan said.

In recent years, the Richmond City Council voted against two resolutions brought by Councilman Michael Jones requesting that state lawmakers give the city authority on what to do with the monuments. The resolutions would have put pressure on lawmakers to give the city authority. However, the General Assembly is not the only avenue for localities to gain the power to remove their monuments. Aughenbaugh said he predicts a locality will sue for the right to remove their monuments and the Virginia Supreme Court will be the deciding body. 

Jefferson Davis’ is the only monument that the Monument Avenue Commission recommended be torn down completely. Davis was the president of the Confederacy, and his monument is the most explicit in its veneration of the “Lost Cause,” the idea that the Confederate cause was just, heroic and ethical. Photo by Susan Shibut, Capital News Service.

One city has already brought such a suit. Earlier this year, Norfolk filed a lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Virginia, arguing that requiring the city to keep a Confederate monument was contrary to their freedom of speech. The suit has not been decided yet.

More than 1,800 Confederate symbols stand in 22 states as of February, according to a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Virginia, with 262 Confederate symbols, has more than any other state and has removed 17 of its symbols since the racially-charged Charleston, South Carolina, church shooting in which nine African-Americans were murdered, the organization said.

For decades, Richmond has sought to offset Confederate symbols. In 1996, a sixth statue was added to Monument Avenue depicting Arthur Ashe, an African American tennis champion from Richmond. Earlier this year the Richmond City Council voted to rename the Boulevard to Arthur Ashe Boulevard. J.E.B. Stuart Elementary School was renamed Barack Obama Elementary after a 6-1 vote by the Richmond Public School Board in 2018. In December, Richmond’s Virginia Museum of Fine Arts unveiled, in front of a welcoming crowd, Kehinde Wiley’s statue “Rumors of War,” which depicts a black man in classic equestrian portraiture — a response to the monuments on Monument Avenue.

Virginia has been center stage in the national debate regarding the potential removal of Confederate monuments. In August 2017, the nation was rocked with news of violent clashes in Charlottesville. A “Unite the Right” rally and counter-demonstration were the climax of a months-long battle over the fate of a Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee statue that the Charlottesville City Council voted to remove. At the protest, James Alex Fields Jr., a white supremacist who traveled from Ohio to the event, drove his car into a crowd, killing counter-protester Heather Heyer and injuring 19 others. The night before the protest, participants gathered in the park with tiki torches and chanted slogans including the Nazi-associated phrase “blood and soil.”

After the Charleston, South Carolina, church shooting, Stoney created the Monument Avenue Commission in 2017 in hopes of creating new ways to remember Richmond’s history while addressing the past memorialized on Monument Avenue. Its first meeting took place days before Heyer died counter-protesting in Charlottesville.

“Richmond has a long, complex and conflicted history, and the Confederate statues on Monument Avenue represents a shameful part of our past,” Stoney said in the commission’s 117-page report. “The majority of the public acknowledges Monument Avenue cannot and should not remain exactly as it is. Change is needed and desired.” 

J. Hunter Dabney walks past the Robert E. Lee Monument. Robert E. Lee was a Confederate general. His monument was unveiled in 1890 and was the the first of the monuments to go up. Photo by Susan Shibut, Capital News Service.

After 11 months of public deliberation, the commission suggested solutions, which included:

  •  Moving the monuments to a museum and creating a permanent exhibit, including a deeper historical look into the history of the monuments by creating a mobile app and a film that ensures historical accuracy.
  • Adding permanent signage that reflects the historic, biographical, artistic, and changing meaning over time for each monument.
  • Erecting a monument that pays homage to the resilience of the formerly enslaved.
  • Having local artists create contemporary pieces that bring new meaning to Monument Avenue.
  • Removing the Jefferson Davis statue.

The city cannot implement these suggestions, however, if state law overrides local laws. 

House Bill 2377 was introduced by former Del. David Toscano, D-Charlottesville, in the 2019 General Assembly session. It would have given localities the power to remove or add context to their monuments, but it did not pass the then-Republican majority House.

For those who oppose the monuments, hope is on the rise. Democrats hold both chambers of the General Assembly as well as the governorship after the Nov. 5 elections — a power that has not been seen in over 20 years. Several of the newly elected legislators have spoken out against the monuments, including Democratic Sen.-elect Ghazala Hashmi, Democratic Del.-elect Sally Husdon, and Del. Jay Jones, D-Norfolk. Hudson plans to introduce legislation very similar to Toscano’s bill — Jones said he will co-sponsor the legislation.

In November, Jones tweeted: “The ‘monuments’ are nothing more than vestigial symbols of oppression and hate that need to come down – ESPECIALLY if it is the locality’s choice. We’re moving VA into the 21st century rather than ‘honoring’ the failures of the 19th.”

In 1895 the city purchased a lot at the intersection of Broad Street, Adams Street, and Brook Road for the J.E.B. Stuart monument. The location, at the terminus of Brook Turnpike, was where Stuart was shot and killed. That site became home to a statue of African-American businesswoman Maggie L. Walker in 2017. Photo by Susan Shibut, Capital News Service

This was not the first time Jones touched on this subject. During Black History month in February, following Gov. Ralph Northam’s blackface scandal, Jones stood in front of the House of Delegates and made a personal speech. 

Jones talked about “two Virginias,” a white one and a black one, and how they have existed “in parallel along the same arc of history, frequently intersecting, but never running together as one. Two different experiences, born from the same beginning four hundred years ago and still never merged into one shared story.” 

According to Jones, “glorification of the Confederacy via monuments and flags in public spaces,” are examples of how white Virginians “consciously or unconsciously attempted to demonstrate its power over black Virginians.”

In describing the racially-charged differences between Virginians, Jones said, “It seems that we have not come far enough to understand the hurt and pain and the effect on those who grew up in the shadow of separate but not equal. Thirty years on, throughout the duration of my life, we are still struggling mightily with race in our state.”

If localities are given the authority to legislate the fate of their monuments, Nolan said Stoney and his administration will ask the city’s History and Culture Commission to make recommendations and commit to following a process in accordance to solutions provided by the Monument Avenue Commission.

Written by McKenzie Lambert and Susan Shibut, Capital News Service. Top Photo: Monument Avenue has five Confederate monuments and one statue of Richmond-native tennis champion Arthur Ashe on its median. Photo by Susan Shibut, Capital News Service.