The Board of Directors of the Monument Avenue Preservation Society stands in opposition to racism and oppression. We support our neighbors of all races in our collective quest for justice and equality. Black lives matter, and we support the initiatives to remove the Confederate monuments from Monument Avenue.
For too long, we have overlooked the inherent racism of these monuments, and for too long we have allowed the grandeur of the architecture to blind us to the insult of glorifying men for their roles in fighting to perpetuate the inhumanity of slavery.
When Mayor Stoney’s Commission recommended removing the statue of Jefferson Davis and adding context to the remaining Confederate monuments, we felt like we were moving forward to a thoughtful reconciliation of the issue. Unfortunately, too much time has passed without any meaningful action to design or implement any additional context. We feel that moment has passed.
If our silence has been perceived as approval of the intimidation implied by the monuments, we apologize. Hear us now: we support the decisions of the governor, the mayor and city council to remove the monuments. We look forward to being a part of the re-envisioning of the future of our avenue.
The Monument Avenue Preservation Society (MAPS) was established to preserve the Avenue and to preserve the historic elements of the homes, buildings and public spaces along the Avenue. Monument Avenue is one of only a few streets in the United States to be named a national historic landmark. The historic district reaches from Birch Street to Roseneath and includes Allen and Davis Avenue to the immediate south and north of Monument Avenue.
The purposes of MAPS are:
- To beautify Monument Avenue in the City of Richmond, Virginia, to encourage the continued preservation, restoration and pertinent development of that thoroughfare, and to encourage adjacent property owners in accomplishing the same;
- To promote the health, welfare, happiness and general well-being of the residents of Monument Avenue; and
- To promote the civic, cultural, educational and recreational development of Monument Avenue in particular, and Richmond in general.