RICHMOND, Va. — Newly empowered Democratic leaders in Virginia are pledging to let local governments remove Confederate monuments.
However, Gov. Ralph Northam said Thursday that he's still weighing what to do with a towering, state-owned statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee. At a news conference with legislative leaders and state officials, Northam also said discussions about that statue on Richmond's Monument Avenue are ongoing.
Northam unveiled multiple initiatives that he said were aimed at telling a more accurate and inclusive version of Virginia's past.
They include more funding for historic African American cemeteries and cultural sites and the creation of new highway markers.