Richmond, VA – May 30, 2025 — Five years after the nationwide protests sparked by George Floyd’s death, Richmond—the former capital of the Confederacy—is still grappling with the aftermath of its swift decision to remove Confederate statues. Despite the symbolic act, many community leaders say real change remains elusive. Broken pieces of Civil War monuments still lie near I-95, a silent reminder of the summer of 2020 when statues of Confederate leaders were torn down or taken away. These efforts were seen as a push to address racial injustice and move past the city’s legacy of slavery and segregation.

However, according to a recent report by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, activists and lawmakers now admit that dismantling these monuments hasn’t led to the substantial reforms they had hoped for.

"Taking down the statues didn’t change much," said Virginia Delegate Mike Jones (D-Richmond), who supported their removal. 

"We wanted real progress—justice, safer communities, better education—not just empty pedestals."

One of the most iconic statues—Confederate President Jefferson Davis—was relocated to the Valentine Museum, still bearing paint from 2020 protests. Other statues, including those of Robert E. Lee and J.E.B. Stuart, once prominent along Monument Avenue, have left behind empty traffic circles. Former Mayor Levar Stoney, who led the removal campaign, said the city needed to “turn the page” on its Confederate legacy. But critics argue that Richmond still faces deep-rooted issues like gun violence, underfunded schools, and a water infrastructure crisis that recently paralyzed parts of the city.

Some local Republicans claim the focus should have been on urgent needs like crime reduction and utility upgrades rather than symbolic gestures. Meanwhile, efforts to rename places like the Robert E. Lee Bridge have stalled. While the statues are gone, the challenges they were meant to highlight still linger. For many in Richmond, the hope is that the next chapter will bring more than just empty pedestals—it will bring real, lasting change.