No new names
Since the Reclaimed Roots Descendants Alliance called on the Jefferson Madison Regional Library to change its name to one that does not honor enslavers, the possibility of a name change has stirred up controversy among local residents. During a lengthy library board of trustees meeting last week, more than a dozen community members spoke on both sides of the issue.
Opponents of the name change, all of whom were white, railed against “identity politics,” “cancel culture,” and “wokeness.” Some claimed Jefferson was not a white supremacist or rapist—despite the historical and genealogical evidence supporting it—and both presidents’ contributions to the country outweighed their faults.
Thomas Jefferson impersonator James Renwick Manship argued the third president was a Christian and tried to end slavery, switching between speaking as Jefferson and himself. Albemarle County resident Jane Williamson accused those behind the name change effort of fueling “hatred of white people.”
Some speakers did not live in areas served by the library system. Richmond-area resident Charlotte Whitmore shared that driving down Monument Avenue, where Confederate statues were recently removed, makes her “sick.” UVA Board of Visitors appointee and Jefferson Council president Bert Ellis, who lives in South Carolina, called Jefferson “one the greatest persons that ever walked on the planet.”
Multiple attendees were in favor of the name change, criticizing Jefferson’s ownership of over 600 enslaved people, white supremacist writings, and at least six children with enslaved teenager Sally Hemings.
“Jefferson did not just support the project of white supremacy, but was indeed one of its main architects,” said Charlottesville resident Laura Sirgany. “The descendants of those enslaved at Monticello have asked for this change—they are the living history.”
“It is deeply inappropriate at this point in time with all that we know about Jefferson to expect Black and brown children to walk into a place named after a man who never would have allowed them to read,” added Ericka Williams-Rodriguez.
The decision, however, is not up to the trustees—all five localities served by the library system must agree to change the name. Louisa and Greene counties have already passed resolutions opposing any name changes. Instead, the board voted to create a working group with trustees, library staff, and community members on both sides of the issue to gather more public input, and come up with a recommendation to provide to the member jurisdictions. The library’s regional agreement is up for review this fall.
Missing sisters
As of August 2, the Albemarle County Police Department is still searching for 11-year-old Beautiful Christmas and 13-year-old Zayla Christmas. The sisters were last seen leaving their home in the county on the morning of July 21.
Both sisters are Black females with brown eyes. Zayla is 4-foot-11, 115 pounds, and was last seen with a long brown ponytail extending down to her ankles. Beautiful is 4-foot-4, 140 pounds, and was last seen with black and pink braids.
Anyone with information regarding the missing juveniles should contact Detective Lavin at 296-5807, or Crime Stoppers at 977-4000 or crimestoppers@albemarle.org.
In brief
Bag tax
Charlottesville City Council unanimously passed a 5-cent tax per bag on disposable plastic grocery bags at grocery stores, convenience stores, and pharmacies during its Monday meeting. The city will provide reusable bags to people who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Councilor Sena Magill urged the city to set up a phone line for residents in need of free bags, as well as work with community groups to distribute them. The tax will take effect on January 1.
Speak up
Community members can now share what they would like to see in Charlottesville’s next police chief in a survey, available on the city’s website in both English and Spanish. POLIHIRE—a firm the city hired last month to lead its police chief search—will use the survey input to develop a recruitment profile. The survey closes on August 15.
Chan jury
The case of infamous internet celebrity Christine Weston Chandler, aka Chris-chan, will head to a grand jury August 8, according to Greene County Circuit Court case records. Chandler was first arrested August 1, 2021, on a felony charge of incest. The Daily Progress reported at the time of her arrest that Chandler had allegedly posted descriptions of “sexual assaults against an elderly, cognitively disabled” family member. Chandler has been the subject of targeted online harassment for over a decade.
Mall cops
Albemarle County will be turning the former JCPenney at the practically empty Fashion Square Mall into a public safety operations center. The space will be used for storage, parking, maintenance, and evidence processing, among other functions, reports NBC29. Renovating the old store will cost the county roughly $3.1 million.
Resign now
The University of Virginia’s Student Council has called on recent Board of Visitors appointee Bert Ellis Jr. to resign, citing his past controversial behavior. In 2020, he confronted Lawn resident Hira Azher in front of her room about a sign she had put on her door criticizing the university, and brought a razor blade to cut it down. The Cavalier Daily Editorial Board has called Ellis’ appointment a “blatant disregard for the University’s core values.”
Racist fliers
The Loyal White Knights—one of the largest and most active Ku Klux Klan groups in the country, according to the Anti-Defamation League—put up racist fliers in the Cascadia community on Pantops in Albemarle County last week, reports CBS19. The Albemarle County Police Department is currently investigating the incident. The white supremacist group distributed similar fliers in Augusta County and Northern Virginia last year.