West Virginia, Born Out Of The Civil War, Grapples With Confederate Monuments

As statues of Confederate generals have been toppled or ordered down across the American South, all still stand in West Virginia, the only state born out of the American Civil War.
One hundred fifty-seven years ago Saturday, West Virginia seceded from Virginia to join the Union and reject the Confederacy.
Across the state, there are 21 statues and memorials honoring Confederate generals and soldiers, according to data compiled by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Like many monuments elsewhere, some of West Virginia's were gifted by the United Daughters of the Confederacy during Jim Crow and the Civil Rights Movement.
"We always need to remember that the monuments always reflect the values of the community — the individuals or organizations that erected them and dedicated them originally," says Boston-based historian Kevin Levin.
"One way to measure the progress — if you want to call it that — is to look at the places that are even debating this issue," he says, noting that many of the efforts to remove statues are happening in urban areas with more diverse populations.