A statue of a Confederate soldier nicknamed “Johnny Reb” was removed in Norfolk, Virginia based on city action.
After Unite the Right in Charlottesville in 2017, Norfolk City Council decided to remove the Confederate statues still remaining in the city. However, Virginia law had prohibited their removal until the law was changed in early 2020. Despite the changes in law not taking effect until July 1, 2020, Norfolk decided to remove the statue during the Uprising of 2020 based on public safety concerns.1
The statue was originally constructed by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, starting in 1898. In 1965 it was removed for construction, and in 1971 was installed in a new location, where it stood until its removal in 2020.2 A descendant of the sculptor had previously indicated that the statue should be removed to a museum.3