Governor Northam has announced that he will begin measures to remove the statue of Robert E. Lee in Richmond, Virginia. This has been a long time coming. But I believe it is important to replace that image with one of greater power. Gabriel’s Rebellion happened right in our back yard. It was organized by a man who had every right to back down. But he didn’t. He stood up for black liberation, for strength, and for freedom. For his bravery, he was betrayed and ultimately killed. I can think of no better man to replace a symbol of oppression. We’ve lived in the shadow of the confederacy for too long. I want a city where we can look up to a symbol of hope, a symbol of freedom. This is a man and an event that we should be proud of, but it’s largely absent from curriculum and popular history. I propose to Governor Ralph Northam and Mayor Levar Stoney to erect a monument—of equal or greater size than the monument it replaces—of Gabriel, the Black General.