Monument Avenue

The mayor of Richmond, Virginia (capital of the Confederacy for most of the Civil War) has stated that the monuments on Monument Avenue are coming down at some time after July 1st. There are monuments to five significant men related to the South and the Civil War: Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, J.E.B. Stuart, and Mathew Fontaine Maury.

I have no say in this decision. Whether the monuments and statues are there, or whether they’re gone, it won’t affect my life. And truthfully, I doubt it will affect anyone’s life. If only getting rid of statues would remove racism and discrimination from America—if only it were that easy. But it isn’t. The day after the statues are gone, we’ll be the same people living in the same houses and working at the same jobs. For racism to disappear, the change has to be in our minds and hearts, not in bronze statues on marble pedestals.

Can we still call the street Monument Avenue when the monuments are gone? After all, Monument Avenue is relatively well known. It has a Wikipedia entry. The avenue is home to an annual 10 kilometer running event that is named for the avenue: the Monument Avenue 10K. The avenue draws tourists from other states who want to see a slice of history.

And there’s this: Monument Avenue is designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service. A bronze plaque in the avenue’s grassy median states:

“This district possesses National Significance in commemorating the history of the United States of America.

“This grand avenue retains a unique combination of commemorative sculpture, community planning, and distinctive architecture from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.”

I would like to include photos of some of the commemorative sculptures, but at the moment they’ve been decorated with various colors of graffiti and they’re not looking so good.