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Virginia removed or renamed 71 Confederate symbols in 2020, more than any other state in the US

Stonewall Jackson statue Richmond
Posted at 7:35 AM, Mar 02, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-02 09:35:33-05

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia is removing Confederate monuments and symbols at a faster rate than any other state in the country, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The organization says the "Whose Heritage?" report found that at least 168 Confederate symbols were renamed or removed from public spaces in 2020.

Of those, 71 of them were in Virginia, including monuments to Confederate generals Stonewall Jackson and J.E.B. Stuart and a statue for Confederate president Jefferson Davis on Monument Avenue in Richmond.

The Robert E. Lee monument is the only Confederate monument still standing on Monument Avenue. State leaders say they are ready to remove the statue but are awaiting a ruling on legal challenges before they can start the process.

This story was originally published by WTVR in Richmond, Virginia.