Robert Lee commanded Confederate armies during the U.S. Civil War, but by the end of it he wouldn't have any slaves. By Wednesday evening, he won't have a giant statue in Richmond, either.
A towering statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond, Virginia, will be taken down on Wednesday as a symbol of racial injustice, more than 130 years after it was erected in tribute to the South's Civil War leader.
While many other Confederate symbols across the South have been removed without public announcements beforehand to avoid unruly crowds, Gov. Ralph Northam's office is expecting a multitude and plans to livestream the event on social media.
Northam original announced its removal in June 2020, but legal challenges during the Covid pandemic kept it up for more than a year. The State Supreme court finally ruled 7-0 for its removal last week.
