Virginia removes three Confederate memorials

Years into efforts to remove Confederate memorials from Richmond, Virginia, the Commonwealth of Virginia began removing three more on Friday. The statues of Confederate Generals Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, Gov. William “Extra Billy” Smith, and Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire had stood in Capitol Square, a public park near the state Capitol, for over a century.

The Virginia legislature ordered their removal during the 2026 session. Former Democratic State Sen. Adam Ebbin, who sponsored the legislation, stated that the action does not alter the history of the Civil War but changes who is honored on the Capitol lawn. Efforts to remove such statues from prominent places in Richmond started in 2018, noted Democratic state Sen. Mike Jones.

The monuments are seen as symbols and raise questions about the direction the Commonwealth wishes to take. The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation will preserve the statues, planning to relocate them to battlefield sites within the Shenandoah Valley. The Virginia division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy defended the monuments, stating they were meant to pay tribute to valor, sacrifice, and community heritage during a challenging period in American history.

They aim for these memorials to continue serving as educational tools, prompting reflection and individual conclusions.