Pastor, Descendant Of Robert E. Lee Leaves Post At Winston-Salem Church
A minister and descendant of Robert E. Lee in North Carolina has quit his job, resigning after speaking out against white supremacy.
Robert Wright Lee IV is a nephew of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, several generations removed. He became a vocal opponent of racism after the recent deadly clash in Charlottesville, Va.
“We can no longer accept this as OK. White supremacy is evil and we have to name it as such,” he said.
Lee also made an appearance at last month's MTV Video Music Awards.
On Sunday, he resigned as pastor of Bethany United Church of Christ in Winston-Salem.
In a statement, he said some members of the church were concerned about the media attention and his speech in which he credited the Black Lives Matter movement, the Women's March, and Heather Heyer as inspiration. Heyer was killed in the Charlottesville violence.
The church was not immediately available for comment.
*Editor's Note: A 2021 article by the Washington Post has called into question and shed light on the ancestry of Rev. Rob Lee. You can read more here.
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