Daniela Berson
WMAL.com
ARLINGTON — (WMAL) Governor Terry McAuliffe said that he would sign a bill to rename the Jefferson Davis Highway if it passed in the Virginia legislature.
No such bill has been proposed at the moment, but in the wake of Virginia’s recall of Confederate flag license plates, it may be the next step in changing Virginia’s relationship with Confederate history.
McAuliffe called the Confederate flag a “divisive, hurtful symbol” and is recalling the license plates because it was one of the few things he could do as governor.
“The day the Supreme Court ruled that we could do it is when we put motions into action,” he said.
However, the governor stressed that he would not interfere with displays of the flag on private property, nor remove any Confederate statues.
“There’s a major Confederate flag, as you know, flying on 95,” he said, “That’s not under my pervue. But what is is Confederate license plates.”
Calls for the removal of Confederate names and symbols from Virginia government property began after nine people were shot in a South Carolina church by a Confederate supporter.
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