As some may know, and others may not know, I worked at Lee Hall Mansion and supervised Endview Plantation for 13 years. And during those years I have been confronted with numerous issues relating to slavery and the confederate flag. My initial letter to the Curator and the Administrative Director, the issues I had about speaking to numerous visitor especially the African Americans who would want a special review by me after receiving a walk through given by the Docents, the history of Lee Hall Mansion the home of Richard Decatur Lee no relations to Robert E Lee. I was tactful in my approach asking for additional posters or signs giving a detailed description of the history at Lee Hall Mansion depicting the life of the African American Slaves. Well it paid off as both of the parties confided in me their proposals, which included having installed a Signage sign, 5 of them at a cost of $2,500.00 each. So that was a monumental move I would say. And after watching and being present at numerous reenactment and kid's summer camp at Endview Plantation our sister site. As one side wore the union attire and the other wore the confederacy attire and yes the confederate insignia was overwhelmingly present. I was somewhat besieged by the numerous confederate flags flying around me it as a torturous moment for me. This was my next opposition to renounce by interjecting my thoughts on the kids using the flag in a unit as they battled each other with rifles and hand guns as caps fired off in the distant as one side wore grey and the other side wore blue. It was one gentleman dressed in the confederate uniform who was a docent and who was somewhat prejudice but not while I was around. I and he would have great conversations on various subjects. I heard that he would go off about the Civil War saying inappropriate things about slavery and the civil war, and to get him off the property possibly being an issue their fired him.
So with all of the controversies now being seen it is the time for at flag to cease being displayed But I do wonder what this gentleman had placed in his grandson’s head as the grandson would always look at me with repelling look as if I had some sort of disease. But I can say most of the times when skirmish scheduled by units around Virginia some of the unit used a different battle flag and other used the standard insignia of the confederacy. And every time I would be in attendant, my thoughts were bombarded “I wonder what those guys are thinking about when they look at me�. So I did my job of maintaining the antique furniture and the grounds, see attached photo of Lee Hall Mansion. So if you would like to see other photos go to their website for more information.