Jefferson Davis Memorial (Richmond, Virginia)


The Jefferson Davis Memorial was a memorial for Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America from 1861 to 1865, installed along Richmond, Virginia's Monument Avenue, in the United States. The bronze representation of Jefferson Davis was toppled by rioters during the George Floyd protests in June 2020.

Description

Unveiled on June 3, 1907, the east-facing monument sported a 65 foot tall Doric column topped by a bronze figure called Vindicatrix. There were thirteen columns, eleven bronze seals representing the seceding states and three representing states that sent troops for the Confederacy. The bronze statues, Vindacatrix at the top and Jefferson Davis in the center, were designed by Edward Virginius Valentine and the arrangement was planned by William C. Noland. The frieze carries words Jefferson Davis spoke in his farewell address to the U.S. Senate on January 21, 1861.
The plaque on the left end of the monument reads:
The plaque on the right end of the monument reads:

History

Following the protests surrounding the death of George Floyd, the bronze statue of Davis was torn down by protesters on June 10, 2020. The rest of the monument is pending removal; the statue of Vindicatrix, representing Southern womanhood, on top of the central column was removed by the City of Richmond on July 8, 2020.

Removal

The memorial was largely dismantled and removed on July 8, 2020.