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Charlottesville hears hours of public comment on whether to end local observance of Lee-Jackson Day
Summary
Hundreds of residents and out-of-town visitors filled council chambers for a Feb. 2 public hearing on whether the city should stop treating Lee‑Jackson Day as a local holiday; council will take a formal vote at its Feb. 17 meeting and staff offered several replacement-holiday options.
Charlottesville City Council on Feb. 2 heard more than three hours of public comment and a staff presentation on whether the city should end its local observance of Lee‑Jackson Day, a commemoration long tied to Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. Council took no vote on Feb. 2 and scheduled the matter for decision at its Feb. 17 meeting.
The agenda item drew a steady stream of speakers who framed the question as one of history, race and community identity. Supporters of keeping the local holiday said the generals deserve recognition as military veterans; opponents said the holiday is painful to many residents because the Confederacy fought to preserve slavery. The council packet included a staff…
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