A large group of protesters gathered around the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Tuesday in Richmond, Va. The crowd protesting police brutality chanted "Tear it down." Steve Helber/AP hide caption
Virginia will remove a statue honoring Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond "as soon as possible," Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday.
"Today, we're here to be honest about our past and talk about our future," Northam said, adding: "We have to confront where we've been in order to shape where we're going."
The statue will be placed into storage, where it will remain until government leaders and the community can discuss its future, Northam said.
"In Virginia, for more than 400 years, we have set high ideals about freedom and equality," the governor said, "but we have fallen short of many of them."
Lee will be removed from Richmond's Monument Avenue, which is lined with statues of Confederate generals. Of all the monuments, Lee's looms the largest — and unlike the others, it is owned by the state, a six-story monument on a 100-foot island of land the state also owns.
It's up to the city of Richmond to decide what to do with the other statues; the city is in the process of determining what their fates will be.
"I know Richmond is going to do the right thing," Northam said — prompting Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, standing behind Northam, to nod his head vigorously.
"It's time to put an end to the Lost Cause, and fully embrace the righteous cause," Stoney said at Thursday's news conference. "It's time to replace the racist symbols of oppression and inequality — symbols that have literally dominated our landscape."
"It's time to heal, ladies and gentlemen," he added.
In response to the news, the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus called the statue's removal "a step in the right direction" in the fight to roll back systemic racism and "remaining vestiges of Jim Crow in our Commonwealth."
The caucus also said the removal of Lee's statue was long overdue.
"The Lee statue was a constant reminder to Black Virginians of racism, dehumanization, and hate that exists and was prevalent throughout our history," Caucus Chairman Lamont Bagby said.
As he discussed the landmark moment in Richmond, the former capital of the Confederacy, Northam noted the symbolism of putting Lee on a pedestal and the message it sends to people of color.
He also acknowledged that the decision to dismantle the monument will be criticized by some, in Virginia and elsewhere, who say Lee was an honorable man and that the statue is part of history.
"Yes, that statue has been there for a long time. But it was wrong then, and it is wrong now — so we're taking it down," Northam said.
"I know some will protest ... I know many people will be angry," the governor said.
But he added that when Virginians look at the state's past, "We must do more than just talk about the future. We must take action. So I am directing the Department of General Services to remove the statue of Robert E. Lee as soon as possible."
Northam also cited Virginia's historic role in the American Revolution, including the famous call, "Give me liberty, or give me death," from Patrick Henry — who also served as a governor of Virginia.
"But there's a whole lot more to the story," Northam said, adding that the ideals of freedom and liberty "did not apply to everyone — not then, and not now."
He noted that as the new country was taking shape, one of its largest slave markets was operating in Richmond, where men, women and children were sold for profit.
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