美国国家公共电台 NPR--The last city-owned Confederate monument is being removed in Richmond, Va.

The last city-owned Confederate monument is being removed in Richmond, Va.

Transcript¹

The city is almost done relocating dozens of statues of Confederate monuments in a campaign that began two years ago. The last statue to be moved is that of Confederate Gen. Ambrose Powell Hill.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

The city of Richmond, Va., is almost done removing dozens of statues of Confederate monuments. It's a process that was set in motion two years ago, after demonstrators began toppling them during racial justice protests. Jahd Khalil of VPM News brings us this story about the removal this week of the very last city-owned statue.

JAHD KHALIL, BYLINE²: On this cold Monday morning, dozens of students are watching history from Richmond's North Side neighborhood.

(CROSSTALK)

KHALIL: Workers are removing a statue of Confederate General Ambrose Powell Hill, known here as A.P. Hill. Virginia had to pass a state law to remove most statues, but this last one was different. That's because the general's remains³ are believed to be inside. School administrator⁴ Alana Smith (ph) says the occasion was a chance for a hard conversation with her students.

ALANA SMITH: This was really a beautiful opportunity to say, hey, something amazing is happening. Let's talk about it.

KHALIL: Months ago, indirect descendants of Hill's challenged the city's plans for the statue. A judge sided with the city last week. This isn't the first time these remains were moved. The last time was in 1891, when Confederate descendants were trying to write their version of history.

CHRISTINA VIDA: They use monuments as part of this misinformation campaign...

KHALIL: Christina Vida is the curator of the Valentine Museum in Richmond.

VIDA: ...To really twist the public's understanding and perception of the cause for the Civil War, which was, of course, slavery.

KHALIL: Confederate monuments eventually became a symbol of the city of Richmond. Monroe Harris is the acting⁵ director of the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia.

MONROE HARRIS: Being African American, and someone taking you to see some Confederate generals - it just - it was mind-blowing.

KHALIL: Harris remembers taking a tour of the city when he first arrived in 1988. The first stop at Monument Avenue left him aghast, he says.

HARRIS: We had never seen monuments that large.

KHALIL: The city gave the Black History Museum ownership of all the monuments removed in 2020. Harris says they're taking the responsibility seriously.

HARRIS: We hopefully will do the best thing to hopefully put them in a context that is acceptable and thoughtful for everybody.

KHALIL: Back at the site of the removal, the smell of burning metal wafts⁶ down into the crowd. A crane lifts the statue onto a nearby flatbed truck. School administrator Alana Smith stands with her students.

SMITH: Some of them are asking, you know, now that the statue's come down, what can we put up instead?

KHALIL: That's a question the city is working out. Another question - what will be the ultimate fate of A.P. Hill and his fellow statues? Museum curators are seeking community input⁷ on that. For now, they say just the fact that they're gone is something the city can be proud of.

For NPR News, I'm Jahd Khalil in Richmond.

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1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

5 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

6 wafts   

n.空中飘来的气味，一阵气味( waft的名词复数 )；摇转风扇v.吹送，飘送，（使）浮动( waft的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A breeze wafts the sweet smell of roses. 微风吹来了玫瑰花的芬芳（香味）。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• A breeze wafts the smell of roses. 微风吹送玫瑰花香气。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 input   

n.输入(物)；投入；vt.把(数据等)输入计算机

参考例句：

• I will forever be grateful for his considerable input.我将永远感激他的大量投入。
• All this information had to be input onto the computer.所有这些信息都必须输入计算机。