What Does This Statue Stand For?

This June, protesters in Richmond, Virginia, pulled down a statue that had stood for 113 years. Within a month, city officials removed three others nearby. Each statue honored men who had led the South during the Civil War (1861–1865).

Across the South, other Civil War statues have also been taken down. Many Americans view them as symbols of racism and hate. But others believe they reflect the nation’s history and should stay. This has led to a debate over how we remember the past.

The Civil War started in April 1861, after several Southern states seceded, or broke away, from the United States. They formed the Confederate States of America (also known as the Confederacy). The Northern states were called the Union.

The biggest of the many issues that divided the country was slavery. At the time, nearly 4 million enslaved people lived in the U.S. They or their ancestors had been kidnapped from Africa. Enslaved people had no rights or freedoms. They were treated as property, not human beings. They were bought and sold by White enslavers who forced them to work without pay.

By 1861, slavery had been outlawed in most Northern states. But it was still legal in the South. Enslaved people built the homes and other buildings on large farms called plantations. Many were forced to work in fields. Others worked in homes, cooking, cleaning, and caring for the children of their enslavers. Confederate states went to war to try to keep this way of life.

The Civil War raged on for four years. In April 1865, General Robert E. Lee, the leader of the Confederate Army, surrendered. Later that year, the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery throughout the nation. Enslaved people throughout the country would gain their freedom.

After the war, the nation struggled with how to remember those who had fought. General Lee argued against building monuments in their honor. In 1869, he wrote in a letter that these statues would “keep open the sores of war” and keep the nation divided.

Not everyone felt the same. Confederate monuments were built right after the war and long after. Today, these statues, as well as Confederate flags, can be seen across the South. Also, many streets and schools are named for Confederate leaders.

Many Americans argue that it’s wrong to honor people who tried, and failed, to divide the U.S. And many people, especially Black Americans, see these monuments as painful symbols of racism and slavery.

Dwight Walter Jones II is a descendant of enslaved people. He watched as a statue in Richmond was removed in July.

“Seeing the statue come down is like seeing a symbol of oppression for my ancestors come down too,” Jones told USA Today.

But not everyone wants symbols of the Confederacy removed. Many Americans say they’re important reminders of the nation’s past.

“I don’t think we can go back and erase our history by removing statues,” John Cornyn, a U.S. senator from Texas, told reporters in June. “What happens next? Then somebody says you can’t teach about the Civil War or slavery.”

For others, symbols of the Confederacy honor their Southern ancestors who fought—and died—in the war.

Nearly 80 Confederate symbols have been removed or renamed in recent months. But more than 700 Confederate statues remain on public land. In some Southern states, it’s illegal to relocate or remove them. Meanwhile, some cities are moving forward with plans to take them down.

1. What was the main cause of the Civil War?

2. What clues in the article help you understand the meaning of monuments?

3. Explain what Robert. E Lee meant when he said confederate monuments would only “keep open the sores of war.”