Stories in stone: Investigating the stories behind the sculptural commemoration of the Confederacy

This article explores the time in which the large Robert E. Lee monument was planned and built in Richmond, Virginia. Drawing on archives, the story of this monument relates to remembering this man in ways that build and perpetuate the stories of the Lost Cause movement. This article also explores how competing interests in the local community tried to sway the movement to commemorate him in ways that favoured their various interests. The issue of who owns the past and how it is represented in the present in artistic forms continues to be an issue in Richmond and throughout the world. Because people in communities learn from their environment, it is important for art educators to consider the history of their geographic locations and to think about how this history is a form of education.