Did Robert E. Lee Really Speak Out Against the Dedication of Monuments to the Confederacy?
Last week Republicans in the House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to reinstall the Confederate monument in Arlington Cemetery, which was removed in December 2023. Though the amendment was offered by a Rep. George Clyde of Georgia, support came from Republicans representing states across the country.
Democrats were quick to condemn their colleagues across the aisle. Representative Jennifer McClellan of Virginia argued that Confederate general Robert E. Lee himself condemned the dedication of monuments after the war because it would hamper the reconciliation of North and South.
This is an argument that has been used by opponents of Confederate monuments throughout this most recent public debate about Civil War monuments.
It’s not surprise that Lee’s own words have been used against those who stand in the way of removing monuments or the dedication of new statues and monuments to the Confederacy. After all, it appears that Lee himself would not have had a problem with the removal of monuments dedicated in his honor.
But should we take Lee’s words at face value?