Statues built after the American Civil War to honour leaders who fought to defend slavery have often been a flashpoint, as they are now in cities such as Richmond in the US state of Virginia.

Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy - the 11 pro-slavery southern states which lost their bid to break away when they were defeated in the US Civil War.

Protesters in Richmond last week set fire to the home of the "Daughters of the Confederacy", who are dedicated to preserving Confederate monuments.

The statue of Confederate General William Wickham was pulled down on Saturday, something his own descendants had called for years ago.

And Virginia's governor announced plans to remove the statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee.


Maurice Jackson, associate professor of African American Studies at Georgetown University, talks to Al Jazeera.

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