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At 4:30am on a night in December 2020, I recorded the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue from th...

By Senator Tim Kaine
Posted December 17, 2025

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At 4:30am on a night in December 2020, I recorded the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue from th...

About the Creator

Senator Tim Kaine is a U.S. Senator representing Virginia. Known for his moderate stance and focus on issues important to his constituents, he often uses social media to share updates on legislation, highlight historical events, and engage in political discourse. He is generally considered a credible source of information regarding Virginia and national politics.

What's This About?

The tweet highlights the replacement of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee with one of Barbara Rose Johns in the U.S. Capitol's National Statuary Hall Collection. Johns was a civil rights pioneer who, at age 16, led a student strike protesting the unequal conditions at her segregated school in Farmville, Virginia. Her actions were pivotal in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case, which helped dismantle segregation in American public schools.

🔥Why It's Trending

This content is trending because the replacement of the Lee statue with the Johns statue is a significant symbolic event, reflecting a shift in how American history is represented and honored. The timing coincides with broader national conversations about racial justice, historical representation, and the legacy of the Confederacy.

💡Fun Facts

  • 1Barbara Rose Johns was just 16 years old when she organized the student strike.
  • 2The Robert E. Lee statue had been in the Capitol since 1909.
  • 3Each state gets to choose two statues to represent them in the National Statuary Hall Collection.
  • 4The Brown v. Board of Education case declared state-sponsored segregation in public schools unconstitutional.
  • 5Farmville, Virginia, where Johns' protest took place, closed its public schools for five years rather than integrate.

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