Confederate statue’s 1887 time capsule set to be removed

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Now that an iconic statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee has been taken down in Richmond, crews plan to remove a piece of history from its gigantic pedestal. A time capsule from 1887 that state officials believe is tucked inside the statue’s base is set to be removed Thursday. It will be replaced with a new capsule that contains items reflective of current times. Those include an expired vial of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and a photo of a Black ballerina with her fist raised near the Lee statue. The 1887 capsule is believed to contain Confederate memorabilia and a picture of Abraham Lincoln in his coffin.