Virginia removes Stonewall Jackson statue amid growing historic monument debate

Virginia's state legislature, led by a Democratic majority, approved a vote on August 28, 2026 to dismantle the Thomas J. Jackson monument that had occupied Capitol Square in Richmond since the early 1900s. The measure also called for the removal of statues of William "Extra Billy" Smith and Confederate surgeon Hunter Holmes McGuire. The Jackson statue will be relocated to the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, following comparable removals at the Virginia Military Institute, the Charlottesville city council, and the City of Richmond's Monument Avenue.

The article argues that erasing such monuments amounts to a "woke" effort that threatens broader historic memorials, citing examples like Mount Rushmore and Stone Mountain. It references Jackson's Civil War legacy, his partnership with Robert E. Lee, and his controversial personal beliefs, while urging remembrance of historical figures despite their flaws.