U.S.

Politics World Opinion Media Entertainment Sports Lifestyle Video AI More Login Watch TV

Media

Robert E. Lee statue melted in secret, 'symbolic'

ceremony, to be remade into 'inclusive' public art
Lee statue's proposed removal sparked 'Unite the Right' rally in 2017
By Alexander Hall Fox News

Published October 27, 2023 11:00am EDT | Updated October 27, 2023 11:09am EDT

'The Five': Liberal city debates removing Washington, Columbus statues

'The Five' co-hosts react to the New York City Council considering the removal of statues of major historical figures like George Washington and creating a
reparations task force.

The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee that once stood in Charlottesville,
Virginia, was secretly melted down at a ceremonial event.

After both cultural and legal battles, the statue of Lee that sparked the infamous
Charlottesville "Unite the Right" rally was reportedly melted in a secretive ceremony in
order to ensure the safety of those involved. The Washington Post reported that the statue
met its end "in a 2,250-degree furnace" when it was "secretly melted down" to become a
new piece of public art.

Footage of Lee’s likeness being melted went viral across social media.

Workers remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee after years of a legal battle over the contentious monument
in Charlottesville, Virginia, on July 10, 2021. (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)

NYC TO CONSIDER REMOVING STATUES OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, CREATE

REPARATIONS TASK FORCE AMID BUDGET CUTS

The Washington Post reported that "Swords Into Plowshares," a project led by University of
Virginia religious studies professor Jalane Schmidt and Charlottesville’s Black history
museum executive director Andrea Douglas, "will turn bronze ingots made from molten
Lee into a new piece of public artwork to be displayed in Charlottesville. They made
arrangements for Lee to be melted down while they started collecting ideas from city
residents for that new sculpture."

The Post went on to say that due to "past threats" and "worries about legal action" the
project went to great lengths to keep itself secret until now. The article made note that
Schmidt, "who directs the Memory Project at U-Va.’s Karsh Institute of Democracy, said
she felt like she was preparing for an execution of sorts," and quoted her comparing the
destruction of the monument to putting down a rabid dog that has been harming people.

that dark feeling was better than carting Charlottesville’s ‘White supremacist toxic
"Still,
waste’ away to some other community," the Post wrote.

a better sculpture right now than it’s ever been," one of the metal-casters said. "We’re
"It’s
taking away what it meant for some people and transforming it."

United Methodist minister Rev. Isaac Collins delivered a sermon at the ceremony of the
statue being destroyed and has previously declared that it is a sin to have monuments
celebrating figures from the Confederacy.

Workers remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee after years of a legal battle over the contentious monument
in Charlottesville, Virginia, on July 10, 2021. (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)

SAN FRANCISCO'S PROPOSED REPARATIONS PLAN COULD COST CITY $100 BILLION:
REPORT

The Washington Post did not name the owner of the foundry, but suggested, "To him,
melting the statue down meant the trauma will be gone when Black people pass squares
where Confederate statues once stood."

NPR also covered the event and credited Swords Into Plowshares for its efforts to "create
a more inclusive public art installation."

"We want to transform something that has been toxic in the Charlottesville community,"
Schmidt said. "We want to transform it into a piece of art that the community can be proud
of, and gather around and not feel excluded or intimidated."

"People are willing to die for symbols," she added further. "And as we saw in
Charlottesville, they're willing to kill for them, too."

NPR described the dismembering of the statue’s face, "in the pattern of a death mask,"
noting "the symbolism is poignant for Andrea Douglas."

"The act of myth-making that has occurred around Robert E. Lee, removing his face is
emblematic of the kind of removal of that kind of myth," Douglas noted.

The "Unite the Right" rally took place in Charlottesville in August 2017 and participants
included far-right White supremacist sympathizers upset over the proposed removal of
Lee's statue, as well as many counter-protesters. On Aug. 12, James Fields Jr. deliberately
rammed his car into a group of counter-protesters, killing Heather Heyer and injuring
dozens.

For more Culture, Media, Education, Opinion and channel coverage,

visit foxnews.com/media

Alexander Hall is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to
Alexander.hall@fox.com.

U.S. World Politics Entertainment Business Lifestyle

Crime U.N. Executive Celebrity News Personal Finance Food + Drink
Military Conflicts Senate Movies Economy Cars + Trucks
Education Terrorism House TV News Markets Travel + Outdoors
Terror Disasters Judiciary Music News Watchlist House + Home
Immigration Global Economy Foreign Policy Style News Lifestyle Fitness + Well-being
Economy Environment Polls Entertainment Video Real Estate Style + Beauty
Personal Freedoms Religion Elections Tech Family
Fox News Investigates Scandals Faith

Science Tech Health TV About Other

Archaeology Security Coronavirus Shows Contact Us Fox Business
Air & Space Innovation Healthy Living Personalities Careers Fox Weather
Planet Earth Drones Medical Research Watch Live Fox Around the World Fox Nation
Wild Nature Computers Mental Health Full Episodes Advertise With Us Women's World Cup 2023
Natural Science Video Games Cancer Show Clips Media Relations Fox News Shop
Dinosaurs Military Tech Heart Health News Clips Corporate Information Fox News Go
Children's Health Compliance Fox News Radio
Outkick
Newsletters
Podcasts
Apps & Products

New Terms of Use New Privacy Policy Your Privacy Choices Closed Captioning Policy Help Contact Us Accessibility Statement

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2023 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or
delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions . Legal Statement . Mutual Fund and ETF
data provided by Refinitiv Lipper .