Charlottesville's City Council has voted to give the recently-removed statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee to the Jefferson School African-American Heritage Center.
The Black-led non-profit plans to melt down the monument in order to transform its bronze material into a work of public art. The project, called "Swords into Plowshares" will be set up through a community engagement process for local residents.
"We're giving people opportunities to engage with our own narratives and our own histories," said Executive Director Dr. Andrea Douglas. "This project offers a road map for other communities to do the same."
A number of local residents, including Lisa Draine, backed the plan for the Lee statue at Monday's council meeting.
"The Heritage Center will lead a comprehensive community engagement process, giving priority to the voices of the descendants of those enslaved in this area," she said.
The council delayed a vote on plans for sculptures of Stonewall Jackson and Lewis and Clark until its December 20 meeting.
