In response to an inquiry from the News-Press on the appropriateness, in light of the movement underway to remove Confederate symbols throughout the south, of advertising an appearance by impersonators of Gen. Robert E. Lee and his spouse at the annual Civil War Day in Cherry Hill Park this Saturday, Corey Jannicelli of the City’s Recreation and Parks Department wrote that the Civil War Day “is intended to provide a perspective, through a living history experience, of what life was like in Falls Church during the Civil War. It is not a celebration of the Civil War, but rather a chance to raise awareness of our nation’s past.”

The Lee impersonators that were invited, he wrote, “appreciate the opportunity to speak about the impact that Robert E. Lee had on Virginia through the Civil War, as well as his life before and after the war.”