Taking Down Statues of Famous Namesakes Doesn’t Make History Go Away

A Washington and Lee alumna – and Pennsylvania native – wonders if erasing the statues of Robert E. Lee and William Penn seeks to hide problems rather than solve them.

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Washington and Lee University - chapel and buildings after a fresh snowfall. In Lexington, Virginia. Getty Images

The past year has seen the removal or destruction of many historically significant memorials, all  in the name of inclusion and the expiation of the sin that will forever stain our nation — slavery.

In 2021, Charlottesville, Virginia, took down its statue of the top commander of the Confederate forces, General Robert E. Lee. It was destroyed and melted two years later. Then in December, the Confederate memorial at Arlington National Cemetery was removed, headed for an obscure state park two hours away. Most recently, the National Park Service sought to remove a statue of Pennsylvania’s namesake, William Penn,  in its efforts to make the park where it stood “more inclusive.”

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