Richmond, VA -- Governor Ralph Northam and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced plans to transfer ownership of the statues and pedestals of Richmond’s Confederate monuments, including that of Robert E. Lee, to the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. The museum, in turn, plans to partner with The Valentine and other Richmond cultural institutions to manage a multi-year, community-driven process to determine the proper future use of each piece of the collection.
The Commonwealth of Virginia will transfer ownership of the entire Lee Monument, including the globally iconic 40-foot protest-art-covered granite pedestal and associated artifacts, to the city. Mayor Stoney will subsequently seek Richmond City Council support in January to accept the property and transfer ownership of the monument to the Black History Museum, along with title to all city-owned Confederate statues removed to date and their now-unoccupied pedestals, which are in the process of being removed. The complete list includes monuments to Robert E. Lee, J.E.B. Stuart, Stonewall Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Matthew Fontaine Maury, Joseph Bryan, Fitzhugh Lee, Confederate Soldier and Sailors, and ceremonial cannon. It does not include A.P. Hill, who is buried under his monument, as discussions with his descendants continue about relocation of his remains.
Governor Northam, Mayor Stoney, and museum leaders identified three factors in the transfer decision and subsequent agreement:
· Placing community-based museums in the driver’s seat to determine appropriate interpretation and curation of the monuments that can facilitate a fulsome and respectful dialogue on the issue
· Ensuring decision-making and community input processes are not bogged down by government bureaucracy or politics
· Providing a framework for catalyzing philanthropic support for both community engagement and future use of the monuments
“Entrusting the future of these monuments and pedestals to two of our most respected institutions is the right thing to do,” said Mayor Stoney. “They will take the time that is necessary to properly engage the public and ensure the thoughtful future uses of these artifacts, while we reimagine Monument Avenue, focus on telling our history fully and accurately in places like Shockoe Bottom and lift up residents throughout the city.”
“Symbols matter, and for too long, Virginia's most prominent symbols celebrated our country’s tragic division and the side that fought to keep alive the institution of slavery by any means possible,” said Governor Ralph S. Northam. “Now it will be up to our thoughtful museums, informed by the people of Virginia, to determine the future of these artifacts, including the base of the Lee Monument which has taken on special significance as protest art."
The Black History Museum, founded in 1981 and opened to the public in 1991, has entered into an agreement with Richmond’s oldest museum, The Valentine, to co-manage the project, which will entail a robust process to engage the public over at least two years.
Marland Buckner, Interim Executive Director of BMHVA, stated: “Our institution takes very seriously the responsibility to manage these objects in ways that ensure their origins and purpose are never forgotten: that is the glorification of those who led the fight to enslave African Americans and destroy the Union. But we believe with this responsibility also comes opportunity – opportunities to deepen our understanding of an essential element of the American story: the expansion of freedom. The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia looks forward to joining in a sustained, reflective, and broad-based community engagement process that will inform decisions made about the future of the objects in this collection. We hope this process will elevate public dialog about our shared history and in so doing encourage and invite more citizens into fact based, respectful conversations about the profound challenges we face as a nation.”
Bill Martin, director of the Valentine, is excited to begin this work with the BHM and the community in the development of a multi-year process to determine next steps for Richmond’s monuments. “The Valentine is honored to partner with the Black History Museum in this important undertaking. We have a tradition of encouraging new perspectives and research on our city’s history and of using the historic resources of our collections as a foundation. The monument question is a very complicated one that requires us to pause and understand more fully the political and social environment within which the statues were created and removed. We should listen to each other with a clear understanding of the legacy of injustice that continues in our community, and only then consider what the possibilities are for the future of the monuments. This partnership should serve as a model for community engagement and affirm the essential role that museums must play in helping to inform community decisions.”
About BMHVA
BMHVA is the gateway to the rich history, heritage, and accomplishments of African Americans in Virginia. The museum’s collection includes art, artifacts, textiles, photographs, rare books, music, and other items. The museum also hosts traveling exhibitions, literary talks, and special events throughout the year. Located in the historic Jackson Ward neighborhood, the museum is housed in The Leigh Street Armory. The museum’s mission is to preserve stories that inspire. For many of us, Black History is reduced to a handful of moments and events. We remember the courageous and popular stories of Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King, but there are many, many more. Although Virginia’s past is sometimes painful, we can learn from our ancestors and allow that history to fuel our future.
About The Valentine
The Valentine has been collecting, preserving, and interpreting Richmond’s 400-year history for over a century. Located in the heart of historic downtown, the Valentine is a place for residents and tourists to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region.
