'The time is long overdue': Stonewall Jackson's great-great-grandsons call for statue of their Confederate ancestor to be taken down because it's an 'overt symbol of racism'
On Wednesday, two of Stonewall Jackson's great-great-grandsons called for his statue in Richmond, Virginia to be taken down
William Jackson Christian and Warren Edmund Christian say their ancestor's statue and all other Confederate monuments are symbols of 'white supremacy'
'The time is long overdue for them to depart from public display,' they said
Richmond's mayor said Wednesday that he's assembling a team to consider the 'removal and/or relocation of some or all' of the Confederate statues in the city
Both William and Warren teach writing at universities - William at Westfield State University in Massachusetts and Warren at UNC Chapel Hill
Their great-great-grandfather was nicknamed Stonewall for refusing to move his troops in the First Battle of Bull Run
By Associated Press and Dailymail.com Reporter
Published: 10:32 EDT, 17 August 2017 | Updated: 14:47 EDT, 17 August 2017
The great-great-grandsons of Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson said the monument to the legendary Confederate general and others in Virginia's capital city were constructed as symbols of white supremacy and should be taken down.
Brothers William 'Jack' Jackson Christian and Warren Edmund Christian wrote a letter to Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, published by Slate on Wednesday,asking that their ancestor's statute and all others honoring the Confederate cause be taken down from the city's Monument Avenue.
'They are overt symbols of racism and white supremacy, and the time is long overdue for them to depart from public display,' the wrote.
The added: 'We wish to make it clear his statue does not represent us.'
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