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saying, "In my view, removing the flags from the statuary chamber is overdue." Since 2018, large doors placed before the chamber housing the statue of Lee are closed for most university events, obscuring the chamber and statue, keeping it "functionally separate from the chapel's assembly hall" at those times, with the stated intention that in doing so the chapel can be "welcoming to all members of our community."
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University Chapel was officially renamed from Lee Chapel on June 4, 2021, by the university's board of trustees. The university also announced the discontinuation of its school holiday known as "Founders Day," held on Robert E. Lee's birthday, and significant upcoming redesign and renovations of the
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birthday holiday still officially celebrated in a few southern states. In 2014, Confederate flags surrounding the Lee statue in the Chapel were removed after student petitions. At that time, Robert E. Lee's great-grandson and 1949 W&L alumnus Robert E. Lee IV wrote in favor of this change,
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The Chapel plays a role in the modern operation of
Washington and Lee. It seats about 600 in its main area and in a small, three-sided balcony. First-year students have assembled there to hear the president of the University's student-run Executive Committee speak on the school's
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from the
Washington family collections, and another of Lee in his uniform, painted by Edward Pine, in order to reflect the time periods of the association of each university namesake with the school. There is also a plaque given by the
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and was the first Black chair of W&L's history department, in 2019 offered his opinion of the Robert E. Lee statue and its placement in the chapel: "The symbolism there is a violation of the first commandment."
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Ceremonies
Connected with the Inauguration of the Mausoleum and the Unveiling of the Recumbent Figure of General Robert Edward Lee at Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va., June 28, 1883
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Chapel to be overseen by the board "to restore its unadorned design and physically separate the auditorium from the Lee family crypt and Lee memorial sculpture."
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In the basement a crypt (added after Lee's burial) contains the remains of much of Lee's direct family: Lee himself, his wife
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The recumbent statue was unveiled and dedicated as the main feature of the chapel on June 28, 1883. The keynote speaker,
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on one of the walls that honors two Sigma alumni from the classes of 1912 and 1915 who lost their lives in World War I.
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Washington by
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Ceremonies
Connected with the Inauguration of the Mausoleum and the Recumbent Lee, Lee Family Digital Archive
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became the first
African American to speak there in 1963. There is currently no schedule of public tours.
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Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the
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On the chapel walls, on either side of the statue chamber alcove, are two paintings: one of
President
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Washington & Lee
University, Lee Chapel, Lexington, Lexington, VA
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National Register of Historic Places listings in Lexington, Virginia
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Confederate States of America monuments and memorials in Virginia
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The centerpiece of the apse of the chapel—in the place where an
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812:"A Letter from Robert E. Lee IV Regarding the Lee Chapel Flags"
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University Chapel of Washington and Lee University (Lee Chapel)
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University Chapel, then known as Lee Chapel, was designated a
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National Register of Historic Places in Lexington, Virginia
932:: 10 photos, 10 data pages, and 1 photo caption page at
316:. It was constructed during 1867–68 at the request of
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Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics
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University and college chapels in the United States
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228:Washington and Lee University Historic District
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863:"The Future of Washington and Lee University"
332:. Lee was buried beneath the chapel in 1870.
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610:"Lee Chapel, Washington and Lee University"
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889:"African Americans at Washington and Lee"
671:. Richmond, Va.: West, Johnston & Co.
639:Schneider, Gregory S. (January 2, 2021).
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48:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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66:U.S. National Historic Landmark District
1260:National Historic Landmarks in Virginia
682:Covington, Abigail (November 4, 2019).
616:. National Park Service. Archived from
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586:"National Register Information System"
161:Washington and Lee University campus,
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810:Lee, Robert E. IV (August 21, 2014).
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591:National Register of Historic Places
795:. Roanoke, Virginia. Archived from
684:"What Do We Do With Robert E. Lee?"
312:is a National Historic Landmark in
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934:Historic American Buildings Survey
544:List of memorials to Robert E. Lee
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759:Dudley, Will (January 18, 2018).
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667:Lee Memorial Association (1883).
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893:Washington and Lee University
842:Washington and Lee University
816:Washington and Lee University
765:Washington and Lee University
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564:"Virginia Landmarks Register"
482:Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee
310:Washington and Lee University
148:Show map of the United States
917:University Chapel and Museum
450:George Washington Custis Lee
322:George Washington Custis Lee
29:United States historic place
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1047:Washington and Lee Generals
761:"2018 Founders Day Remarks"
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382:National Statuary Hall
380:'s representatives in
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924:Encyclopedia Virginia
596:National Park Service
448:, his seven children—
434:Charles Willson Peale
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190:37.78722°N 79.44222°W
70:Contributing Property
799:on October 18, 2014.
688:The Delacorte Review
620:on December 29, 2007
486:Anne Hill Carter Lee
446:Mary Anna Custis Lee
420:Building and history
123:Show map of Virginia
1027:Omicron Delta Kappa
646:The Washington Post
598:. January 23, 2007.
502:Omicron Delta Kappa
314:Lexington, Virginia
292:Designated VLR
276:Designated NHL
195:37.78722; -79.44222
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163:Lexington, Virginia
1132:Alumni and faculty
1100:German Law Journal
867:Washington and Lee
714:The New York Times
520:in 1960. Novelist
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474:Mildred Childe Lee
394:Richmond, Virginia
392:were removed from
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218:Romanesque Revival
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1158:Liberty Hall Site
1153:University Chapel
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506:Robert E. Lee Day
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470:Eleanor Agnes Lee
466:Robert E. Lee Jr.
426:George Washington
302:University Chapel
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263:Significant dates
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402:New Orleans
354:sarcophagus
193: /
169:Coordinates
1214:Categories
1076:Shenandoah
550:References
306:Lee Chapel
304:(formerly
232:ID71001047
181:79°26′32″W
178:37°47′14″N
18:Lee Chapel
1148:Colonnade
984:Academics
898:March 13,
847:March 13,
770:March 13,
744:March 13,
693:March 14,
652:March 13,
570:March 19,
490:Traveller
366:Civil War
252:VLR
1197:Category
624:June 26,
528:See also
413:Jim Crow
378:Virginia
258:117-0019
246:66000914
158:Location
1183:Commons
872:June 8,
821:July 6,
719:July 6,
224:Part of
1141:Campus
1110:People
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372:whose
1068:Media
362:altar
308:) of
206:Built
1082:WLUR
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234:)
230:(
20:)
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