I believe embellishing the river walk was an error in political judgment.
Richmond as a community is far too hypersensitive right now to accommodate
yet one more argument over what's racist and what isn't.    There is enough
about Lee, Arthur Ashe, and sundry others already in public view in that
city.   If it is important to have some murals or other art along the river
walk, why not focus on the remarkable history of the James River itself.
-----Original Message-----
From: Vincent Brooks <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, June 03, 1999 12:46 PM
Subject: Lee in Richmond


>Listmembers
>   I am eager to hear opinions (and not to start a battle) on a recent
>development in Richmond, VA.  The city has converted a section of the canal
>along the James River into a pedestrian walk way.  One of the
city-sponsored
>historical agencies used mural-sized images of Richmonders past and present
>to decorate the canal corridor.
>   After the Robert E. Lee mural was featured in an article on the walk in
>the Richmond Times-Dispatch, a city coucilman became outraged and
>immediately lobbied for the removal of the mural.  He succeeded.  Lee's
>picture was removed citing community sentiment, and it was alluded that it
>may be installed at a later date.  Upon hearing this comment, the
councilman
>replied that the mural would not return "on his watch."
>  Lee's photo hung in the area themed "Conflict."  It hung with Chief
>Powhatan and Gabriel Prosser, a slave who plan an unexecuted murderous
>revolt.
>  Why take down Lee and leave Prosser?  Why take down Lee?  Does this
>sentiment have reprocussions for the museum community?  I am neither a
>Southerner nor am I a Civil War historian.  I have no great affinity for
>Lee, or no more than I do for any other historical figure.  After reading
>the story, however, I was interested in its effect on the museum
profession.
>  We are in public institutions (for the most part), but does that mean
>censoring certain controversial subject matter?  I am interested in your
>responses.  Thanks.
>
>V.B.
>Project Archivist
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________________________
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