Richmond Removes Symbols of Racial Injustice

RICHMOND, VA  – Confederate statues, at long last, are being removed from Monument Avenue in the city of Richmond, ending public display of symbols of racial injustice.  

The following is a statement by Dawone Robinson, regional director of energy affordability in the Healthy People & Thriving Communities program at NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council):

“The monuments we erect and let stand help tell the story of who we are as people. They have the power to shape our identity and beliefs. They can provide us with a sense of what’s possible.

"No country should forever be shackled to symbols that defy its values, subvert its purpose and cause its people anguish, anger and pain.          

“Confederate statues pay tribute to the very legacy of racial injustice and brutal oppression we must, as a nation, overcome. They perpetuate notions of white supremacy, distort our view of history and stand in the way of the progress we need.          

"It’s long past time to take them down and replace them with monuments that accurately reflect who we are as a nation in all its diversity, honor the achievements that embody who we want to be, and inspire us to build a more just and equitable society."

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at NRDC.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.​