Confederate Statues Removed
Virginia removes three historical Confederate statues from Capitol Square after lengthy debate.
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Key Points
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The Jackson statue was unveiled in 1875, while the Smith statue was unveiled in 1906 and the McGuire statue in 1904, meaning all three had occupied Capitol Square for more than a century before removal.
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The removal cost is about $150,000 and was funded through a General Assembly budget item, as part of a broader, multi-year effort to remove Confederate memorials from state property.
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The push to remove the statues traces back to 2018, with lawmakers like Adam Ebbin championing the effort; the plan was revived and funded during budget negotiations in 2026.
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After removal, the statues have been gifted to the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation to be relocated to battlefield sites in the Shenandoah Valley, preserving the artifacts while removing them from state Capitol grounds.
Virginia removed three Confederate statues from Capitol Square in Richmond on Friday, ending over a century of public display. The statues of Stonewall Jackson, Extra Billy Smith, and Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire were taken down as part of a state-funded effort to relocate Confederate memorials from government property. HuffPost reported the Commonwealth spent $150,000 on the removal project, which was authorized through a General Assembly budget provision.
The statues have been gifted to the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation and will be relocated to battlefield sites in the Shenandoah Valley. The move ends a push that began in 2018, with lawmakers like Adam Ebbin championing removal efforts over several years. The Times-Tribune noted the artifacts will be preserved while removed from state Capitol grounds.
Statues Stand for Over a Century Before Removal
All three statues had occupied Capitol Square for more than 100 years before their removal. Capital Gazette reported the Jackson statue was unveiled in 1875, making it the oldest of the three. The Smith statue arrived in 1906 and the McGuire statue in 1904, meaning each had become a fixture of the Richmond landscape for generations.
Their long presence made the removal decision significant. The statues were installed during and after the Jim Crow era, when many Confederate memorials were erected across the South. Removing them from Capitol Square sends a message about how Virginia chooses to honor its public spaces.
Years of Effort Culminate in Budget-Funded Removal
The push to remove these memorials traces back to 2018, when lawmakers began championing the effort. Progress stalled for years until budget negotiations in 2026 revived the plan and secured funding. 3 News Now documented crews beginning the removal work, which was completed by the Department of General Services on August 28, 2026.
The $150,000 cost was included in the General Assembly budget as a line item for removing Confederate memorials from state property. This was part of a broader, multi-year effort to address Confederate iconography across Virginia. The removal represents one step in addressing how the state presents its history on public grounds.
Statues Relocated to Battlefield Sites, Not Destroyed
Rather than destroying the statues, Virginia chose to preserve them by moving them to historical battlefields. The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation will oversee relocation to battlefield sites in the Shenandoah Valley. This approach keeps the artifacts intact for historical study while removing them from state Capitol grounds.
The decision reflects a middle-ground approach to Confederate memorabilia. Supporters say removing statues from Capitol Square recalibrates public spaces and historical memory away from veneration. Critics argue the $150,000 spending represents a misallocation of resources and a distraction from other priorities.
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