Description
The Robert E. Lee Monument in Richmond, Virginia, was the first installation on Monument Avenue in 1890 used to honor Southern Civil War General Robert E. Lee. Built as one of the largest monuments on site for over a century, the memorial is the last Confederate monument on the Avenue today. The monument includes General Lee sitting on his horse atop a large marble base that stands over 60 feet tall. Constructed in France by Antonin Mercié and and shipped to Virginia, the statue remains one of Mercié's most outstanding pieces. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2007, the Virginia Landmarks Register since 2006.
As the last monument standing out of the many built on Monument Avenue, the monument is a topic of discussion based on the controversial nature of General Lee's position in the Civil War. After the killing of George Floyd, the monument was vandalized and many wanted the monument removed. Debates about the monument are still very present with many wanting the monument removed while others believe that the monument is necessary to remember General Lee.
In August 2017, Richmond officials debated about what to do with the monuments on Monument Avenue specifically the Robert E. Lee Monument. There had been many protests surrounding these monuments there was ideas of taking them down. In 2017, after the violence that occurred at the Unite the Right rally, significant outrage and debate occurred relating to the monuments including the Lee statue in both Charlottesville and Richmond, Virginia.
On June 4, 2020, Virginia governor Ralph Northam announced the statue would be removed in response to the protests that followed the May 2020 killing of George Floyd. On June 8, a judge in Richmond Circuit Court issued a temporary injunction against the monument's removal, citing a lawsuit filed by William C. Gregory, who claims the Commonwealth promised to "faithfully guard" and "affectionately protect" the statue in the deed that originally annexed the property to the state. Subsequent legal proceedings led to a hearing on July 23, which concluded without a ruling on the monument's future. A new 90-day injunction against the monument's removal began August 3. After nearby residents filed a lawsuit to keep the statue in its place, Virginia's Attorney General filed a motion to dismiss the suit; circuit court Judge W. Reilly Marchant ruled August 25, 2020 that the matter would proceed to trial. The October 19 trial resulted in a halted decision pending appeal.