This June 4, 1907, article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch describes the unveiling of Edward Valentine’s statue of former Confederate president Jefferson Davis on Monument Avenue in Richmond. The celebratory event shows how Confederate statues reinforced Lost Cause mythology. Protestors toppled the statue in June of 2020 in the wake of George Floyd’s murder.
In this article, published April 4, 1905, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports on celebrations in the African American community of Richmond on April 3, marking the date that Union troops liberated Richmond, bringing an end to slavery. This Emancipation Day or Freedom Day is otherwise known as Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19.
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