21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest The American Experience
Still the Capital of the Confederacy?

After the Robert E. Lee Confederate Monument was removed, numerous individuals visited the site to view the now empty pedestal. As visitors snapped selfies or photographed the empty plinth, a low hum rose in the air. Visitors looked up and noticed a small aircraft pulling a banner back and forth across the sky. The plane pulled the banner over several neighborhoods including the neighborhood of Tim Kaine, current Senator and Former Vice-Presidential nominee. The banner read “God Bless Robert E. Lee”. For months residents fought over control of the massive statue and the space surrounding it. Protesters painted brightly colored art and protest messages on the pedestal and demanded that the statue be removed. Some who supported the presence of the Confederate monuments sometimes tried to paint over or wash away the brightly colored protest messages. The protesters unofficially renamed the space surrounding the pedestal "Marcus-David Peters Circle" - in memory of a young Richmond teacher who was killed by police while experiencing a mental health crisis. Professional signage was even installed as protesters reclaimed the space. The space surrounding the statue became a gathering place serving as a space for community events including voter drives, music and dance recitals, and meeting spaces to devise solutions for community issues. A community garden was even planted. This was not the first time that a plane had been used to display a message. On another occasion, a plane was spotted pulling a different banner that read "Still the Capitol of the Confederacy".

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2021
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
Copyright: © T. Otey