This petition is seeking the removal of the statue of a Confederate soldier on the Courthouse Square in Halifax County, Virginia. The Confederate statue is a painful reminder to many of our citizens of a dark period in Virginia’s history. Those signing this petition support removal of the statue and its placement in a more appropriate location where the statue and the history it represents can be explained and placed in context, such as a history museum. 

A brief history: The original statue on the courthouse was to be erected in 1910. However, when unpacked it was recognized to be a union soldier that caused county citizens to protest resulting in the statue never being erected. A second statue was erected in 1911, a smaller figure on a 20-foot shaft. That second statue was blown down in a windstorm in 1916. In 1937, a third and final statue was purchased by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, chosen from several designs by the Halifax County Board of Supervisors.

By signing this petition to remove the confederate statue, we will be sending a powerful message to prospective businesses and other potential newcomers considering a move here that Halifax County is a strong, cohesive, and peaceful community interested in and addressing the rights and concerns of all its citizens.