Virginia parks that shed Confederate names renamed again
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — A year after two parks in Virginia shed the names of Confederate generals, the parks have again been renamed.
News outlets report that the Charlottesville City Council voted 4-1 Monday night to change the name of the former Lee Park from Emancipation Park to Market Street Park, while the former Jackson Park's name has been changed from Justice Park to Court Square Park.
The initial name change came in June 2017 and followed recommendations from a commission that studied the city's Confederate imagery. The name changes, along with plans to remove a statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee from one of the parks, led to rallies featuring torch-bearing white nationalists and deadly violence in Charlottesville last year.
Councilor Kathy Galvin says some community members felt the parks' idealistic names were ill-fitting since Confederate monuments remained within.
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