Virginia removes three Confederate memorials from Richmond

The Commonwealth of Virginia has begun removing three Confederate memorials from Capitol Square in Richmond. The statues honor Confederate General Thomas J. ‘Stonewall’ Jackson, Governor William ‘Extra Billy’ Smith, and Confederate Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire. These monuments had been displayed in the public park and civic campus for over a century.

The removal follows an order from the Virginia legislature during its 2026 session. Supporters of the legislation, including former Democratic State Senator Adam Ebbin, stated that the move does not change Civil War history but rather changes ‘who we choose to venerate on the Capitol lawn.’

The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation will preserve the monuments, relocating them to battlefield sites within the Shenandoah Valley. The Virginia division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy expressed a desire for the works of art to be displayed in a manner intended by their donors so the public can continue to learn from them.