As the United States continues to grapple over race relations and symbols that venerate Confederates who fought to perpetuate slavery in the 1860s, communities across the country are considering new approaches to memorialising one of the rebellion’s most famous leaders: General Robert E Lee.
To this day, scores of buildings, roads, monuments and institutions bear Lee’s name. Thousands of children are educated at schools named after Lee; “Robert E Lee Day” is still celebrated every January in a handful of states, and the late general’s likeness appears on monuments and memorials in dozens of cities.
Lee, a decorated military officer from Virginia who fought for the US before the Civil War and married into the family of George Washington, was responsible for some of the Confederacy’s most consequential victories in its fight to protect slavery.
As the U.S. continues to work to resolve the symbol of race relations and reverence confederation Who fought for the continuation of slavery in the 1860s,
This summer s Olympic Games are planned in Tokyo, but they could be known as the Sarasota Games if everything breaks right for local athletes competing for a spot.
Three athletes with Sarasota ties have already qualified for the Games, with more potentially qualifying this month.
Mary Tucker will compete in three shooting events at the Tokyo Olympics. Photo courtesy UK Athletics.
Sarasota Military Academy graduate Mary Tucker originally qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in women s air rifle, but the games were put off a year, resetting the qualification process. Tucker, a sophomore at the University of Kentucky, has since qualified for the mixed team air rifle (10 meters) and, on May 26, the women s small-bore rifle three position (50 meters).