Richmond's Valentine Museum Interprets Jefferson Davis Statue

A statue of Confederate president Jefferson Davis is now on display in Richmond’s Valentine museum. The decision to display a toppled Davis forces visitors to look down rather than the direction that white southerners intended for it to be viewed when it was dedicated on Richmond’s Monument Avenue in 1907.

Photo: Ned Oliver/Axios

This display suggests that with some careful thought it is possible to display Confederate monuments that have been removed in a way that is both educational and non-threatening to the community.

It also guarantees that the visual experience will be tied to the statue’s final moments, when it was toppled by protesters shortly after the police murder of George Floyd in May 2020. Interpretive panels can provide the relevant historical context of the Lost Cause, the Jim Crow era, and local history.

I look forward to hearing more about how the public reacts to one of the most iconic and controversial statues in its new home.