Report: More than 160 Confederate symbols renamed or removed in 2020, none in Northeast TN and Southwest VA

Nationwide protests on systemic racism and racial and social injustices in 2020 sparked a revolution of removing Confederate symbolism across the country.

The Southern Poverty Law Center released a report Tuesday that said last year, more than 160 confederate symbols were renamed or removed from public square, with those coming following the death of George Floyd in May.

Locally in Northeast TN and Southwest VA, the region has a total of 11 confederate symbols that includes monuments, roads, and schools named after noted confederate leaders.

Although there was a petition filed to have monuments like the one that sit at the courthouse in Abingdon removed and discussions about renaming Stonewall Jackson Elementary in Bristol, no name changes or removal of monuments occurred.

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