On Sept. 8, 2021, a statue of Robert E. Lee was removed in Richmond, VA after 97 years . This is one of the many Confederate statues being removed in Virginia, marking a turning point to stop promoting and honoring figures who were racist.

Back in July of 2021 a statue of Lee and Stonewall Jackson were removed from Charlottesville four years after the march containing Neo-Nazi groups that led to three deaths and injured 19 others.

Many individuals believed that Robert E. Lee symbolized and glorified slavery and white supremacy.

“When we honor leaders who fought to preserve a system that enslaves human beings, we are honoring a lost cause that has burdened Virginia for too many years,” Virginia’s governor, Ralph Northam said in a statement.

After the statue was removed, construction workers cut the statue from the side of its waist high and it will be stored in an undisclosed location.