The controversy over statues of Confederate generals has triggered the removal of dozens, some of which were erected a century ago. Another controversy has arisen about military bases named after some of these generals. The problems extend well beyond these to the names of towns, streets, schools and counties. The counties named after Robert. E. Lee, the General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate States, are home to thousands of people, and in some cases tens of thousands. In most of these counties, the majority of residents are white. Most were founded within the two decades after the Civil War.
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These counties are named after Lee:
Lee County, Alabama. Established in 1866, the year after the Civil War ended, it has a population of 164,542. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, its population is 71% white and 22% black. That population has almost doubled since 1990.
Lee County, Arkansas. Established in 1873, the county has 8,857 residents. Its population has dropped by almost half since 1980. Fifty-seven percent of the residents are black and 41% are white.
Lee County, Florida. It has a population of 618,754 and was established in 1887. Cape Coral is its largest city. The population has almost doubled since 1990. Eighty-three percent of the population is white. About 8% are black and almost 18% are Hispanic.
Lee County, Kentucky. Founded in 1870, it now has 7,033 residents. Its population has been relatively flat since 1980. Ninety-five percent of the population is white. Less than 1% of the population is black.
Lee County, Mississippi. Founded in 1866, this county now has 85,202 residents, after rising steadily since 1970. Its largest city is Tupelo. Seventy-four percent of the population is white and 25% is black.
Lee County, North Carolina. It was founded in 1907 and has a population of 61,452, which has doubled since 1970. Seventy percent of the population is white, while 20% is black.
Lee County, South Carolina. The population has been shrinking since 1950 and stands at 17,142. The county was founded in 1902. Sixty-four percent of the population is black and 35% is white.
Lee County, Texas. It was founded in 1874 and now has a population of 17,144, after growing steadily since 1980. Seventy-seven percent of the population is white. Twelve percent of the population is black.
Each of these counties will have to decide whether to change its name as the widespread opinion grows that nothing or nowhere should be named after Confederate generals.
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