Robert E. Lee, the commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War, remains a controversial figure due to his pivotal role in the Civil War as a general for the pro-slavery Confederacy.

After the Civil War, Lee opposed revenge and vindictiveness towards the South and advocated reconciliation between North and South. However, Lee also owned slaves and defended the institution of slavery. This has led to a debate over Lee's legacy and the history and purpose of Confederate monuments honoring Lee like the one most recently taken down in Richmond, Virginia, the former capital of the Confederacy.