AP Explains: Ex-Confederate capital eyes statues’ removal
RICHMOND, Va. — Some of the oldest and largest Confederate statues in the U.S. tower over Monument Avenue, a four-lane road that has served as Richmond’s parade route. The avenue, lined with trees, churches and historic mansions, cuts through the heart of the city and is perhaps the most prestigious address in all of Richmond.
The 5-mile street draws history buffs from around the world and thousands of runners stride past the monuments during the city’s marathon. The road takes its name from the statues that mark its major intersections. The century-old monuments may also make Richmond the next ground zero in the fight over Civil War statues.
The city, the former capital of the Confederacy, was in the midst of studying how to add historical context to the statues when white supremacists converged on Charlottesville — about 75 miles (120 kilometres) away — on Aug. 12. A woman was killed that day when authorities say a man who has been described as an admirer of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany drove his car through a crowd. The deadly violence sparked new calls for the monuments in Richmond to come down.
THE MONUMENTS