Robert E. Lee Monument (Charlottesville, Virginia) facts for kids
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Robert Edward Lee
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The sculpture in January 2006
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | Market Street Park, bounded by Market, Jefferson, 1st and 2nd streets, Northeast |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1924 |
| Architect | Henry Shrady; Leo Lentelli |
| Architectural style | bronze sculpture |
| MPS | Four Monumental Figurative Outdoor Sculptures in Charlottesville MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000447 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 16, 1997 |
The Robert E. Lee Monument was a large bronze statue. It showed Confederate general Robert E. Lee riding his horse, Traveller. The statue was located in Market Street Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. This park was once called Emancipation Park, and before that, Lee Park.
Contents
What is the Robert E. Lee Monument?
This monument was a type of statue called an equestrian statue. This means it showed a person riding a horse. It was made of bronze, a strong metal. The statue honored Robert E. Lee, a famous general from the American Civil War.
History of the Statue
The idea for the statue started in 1917. It was finished and officially shown to the public in 1924. In 1997, the statue was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historical places in the United States.
Why Was the Statue Controversial?
Over time, many people began to see Confederate monuments differently. Some felt they honored a painful past. They believed these statues represented slavery and racial inequality. Others felt they were important historical markers. They believed the statues honored their heritage.
The Decision to Remove It
In February 2017, the city council in Charlottesville voted. They decided to remove the Robert E. Lee statue. They also voted to remove another statue, the Stonewall Jackson statue. The council also wanted to change the name of Lee Park. This decision caused a lot of debate and disagreement.
Protests and Legal Battles
After the vote, a lawsuit was filed in March 2017. This lawsuit tried to stop the statue's removal. In May 2017, a judge temporarily blocked the removal. This was because a state law in Virginia seemed to protect such monuments.
In August 2017, a large protest happened. It was called the Unite the Right rally. People who supported white supremacist ideas organized it. They were protesting the planned removal of the statue. During this protest, a tragic event happened where a person lost their life.
After the protest, on August 23, 2017, the city council covered the statue. They used a black tarp to hide it. In February 2018, a judge ordered the tarp to be removed. Legal battles continued for a long time. In July 2019, a judge again stopped the removal permanently. However, in July 2020, the state law was changed. This change made it possible to remove the statue. As of January 2021, the statue had still not been removed.
