A statue of Confederate general Stonewall Jackson will be moved from its prominent post at the Virginia Military Institute.
Virginia Military Institute’s Board of Visitors voted unanimously Thursday to move the statue of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson. It’s stood outside the main cadet barracks since 1912.
Jackson taught at VMI before the Civil War and his campaigns as a Confederate general are still studied by cadets.
Earlier this year, VMI’s then-superintendent, Gen. Binford Peay, said the school would not remove Confederate-related monuments and names of buildings. But after several scathing news reports alleging a culture of racism at the school, Governor Ralph Northam called for an independent investigation and urged Peay to resign. He did on Monday.
The statue could be moved to a less prominent location at VMI or to a Civil War battlefield at New Market, which is owned by the school.
Also Thursday, the board voted to create a permanent diversity office, a building and naming committee, and a diversity hiring plan. “I am proud of the commitment by the VMI family to continue fulfilling our mission," board president Bill Boland said in a statement. "VMI, like all aspects of society, must honestly address historical inequities and be intentional about creating a better future. We care deeply about the individual experiences of all of our cadets and alumni."
