Norfolk Confederate Monument facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Norfolk Confederate Monument |
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The monument in 2017
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| Artist | J. D. Couper and William Couper |
| Year | 1907 |
| Subject | Confederate soldier |
| Condition | Dismantled, removed and in storage |
| Location | Norfolk Southern Museum, Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. |
The Norfolk Confederate Monument was a special statue in front of the Norfolk Southern Museum in Norfolk, Virginia, United States. It was built to remember soldiers who fought for the Confederate States during the American Civil War. This monument was taken down in June 2020.
About the Norfolk Confederate Monument
The idea to build this monument came from the United Daughters of the Confederacy. This group helped create many Confederate monuments across the country. Construction of the monument started on February 22, 1898, when the first stone was placed. It was finished in 1907 and officially opened on May 16 of that year.
The artists who worked on it were J. D. Couper, who designed it, and William Couper, who sculpted it. The monument had the words 'Our Confederate Dead, 1861–1865' and the letters 'CSA' (which stood for 'Confederate States of America'). It also featured a Confederate battle flag. The main part was a statue of an unknown Confederate soldier, often called "Johnny Reb".
The monument was moved in 1965 to make space for a new bank building. However, it was put back six years later, in 1971. It was placed about 150 feet away from its first spot.
Why the Monument Was Removed
In recent years, many people wanted the monument to be taken down. There were several legal attempts to remove it. The monument was also damaged by vandals at least once.
In early June 2020, during the George Floyd protests, the Norfolk City Council made plans to remove the monument. They wanted it gone by August 2020. The Downtown Norfolk Council also said they would no longer clean the monument.
On June 12, 2020, the "Johnny Reb" statue was lifted off the monument by a crane. This happened because Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander ordered it. The Mayor explained that the removal was done quickly because of safety worries. Days earlier, a protester in nearby Portsmouth was hurt by a falling statue during similar protests. After the "Johnny Reb" statue was removed, crews also took apart the tall, 60-foot marble column. Mayor Alexander said the "Johnny Reb" statue would be stored safely. A future meeting would decide where the monument would go next.
