Statue of Christopher Columbus (Richmond, Virginia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Statue of Christopher Columbus |
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The statue in 2015
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| Year | 1927 |
| Subject | Christopher Columbus |
| Condition | Damaged |
| Location | Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
A statue of Christopher Columbus was placed in Richmond, Virginia, in 1927. It stood there for many years until 2020. That year, people protesting the killing of George Floyd pulled the statue down and threw it into a nearby lake.
Contents
The Statue's Story
How the Statue Came to Be
In 1925, a barber named Frank Realmuto from Richmond had an idea. He wanted to donate a statue of Christopher Columbus to the city. About 1,000 Italian-American residents in Richmond supported this plan. They hoped the statue could be placed on Monument Avenue, a famous street with other monuments.
However, in May 1925, the Richmond City Council said no. They did not want to give land for the statue on Monument Avenue. Some council members felt it was not right to put a statue of Columbus, who was from another country and Catholic, near monuments of important Confederate figures. Many newspapers across the United States criticized this decision. It was later found out that one person who spoke against the statue at the meeting was part of a group that included the Ku Klux Klan.
In June 1925, a different committee of the Richmond city council decided to give land for the statue. This new spot was near Byrd Park. People started raising money for the statue in February 1926. Ferruccio Legnaioli, an Italian immigrant living in Richmond, was chosen to design the statue. Construction began in June 1926.
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The Dedication Ceremony
The statue was officially revealed on December 9, 1927. Even though it was very cold, more than 2,000 people came to the event. At the dedication, Virginia Governor Harry F. Byrd spoke highly of Italian leader Benito Mussolini. The Italian ambassador, Giacomo de Martino, said that Italy wanted peace. The ceremony ended with de Martino pulling a cord to show both an Italian and an American flag. A two-gun salute was also fired.
Later Years and Removal
For many years, Italian-American families in Richmond would gather near the statue. They would meet on the night before Columbus Day to celebrate Columbus and their Italian heritage.
In the 2010s, the statue was damaged several times by vandals. This happened as more people began to disagree with Columbus Day. They wanted to honor Indigenous peoples instead.
On June 9, 2020, the statue was pulled down. People spray-painted it, set it on fire, and then threw it into a nearby lake. These actions were part of larger protests following the May 2020 killing of George Floyd. The protesters said they were supporting Native Americans. Messages written on the statue's base said it was built on land that belonged to the Powhatan people. The statue was found in the lake on June 10 and moved to a safe storage place.
