Basketball hoop, ball used at Lee Circle during summer 2020 on display at the Valentine

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- On loan from the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia (BHMVA), a basketball hoop and ball used at Lee Circle in the summer of 2020 have been added to an exhibition on view at the Valentine in Richmond.

According to an announcement by the Valentine on Tuesday, Aug. 26, a basketball hoop and ball used at Lee Circle during the summer of 2020 have been added to the museum's ongoing exhibition, "This Is Richmond, Virginia."

The Valentine referred to the hoop and ball as "more than pieces of sporting equipment."

"In the shadow of the Robert E. Lee Monument, they became a symbol of community resilience, creativity and hope at a time of ongoing protests," said a spokesperson for the Valentine. "Families and neighbors gathered and art, music and activism reshaped the historic space that many began calling Marcus-David Peters Circle."

(Photo: The Valentine)

“Objects like this remind us that history isn’t just about statues and monuments,” said Bill Martin, Director of the Valentine. “It’s about the everyday ways people claim space, build community and create meaning—even in moments of conflict and change.”

“Preserving these powerful symbols of community and resilience is central to our ongoing efforts to tell the full story, not only by recontextualizing artifacts within the Lost Cause narrative, but also by honoring the community’s collective work to ensure their removal and chart a new path forward,” said Shakia Gullette Warren, executive director of BHMVA. “As we finalize our stewardship plan for the Confederate monument artifacts held by BHMVA, we are proud to deepen our partnership with The Valentine, where these pieces will be displayed as part of a broader effort to share the evolving narrative of our city and its people."

The Valentine said the hoop will remain on view through the summer of 2026.

The new additions follow the temporary departure of the statue of Confederate president Jefferson Davis, which has been loaned to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles for the upcoming exhibition “MONUMENTS.”

The “MONUMENTS” exhibition will start in October and run through April 2026. The Davis statue is expected to return to Richmond after the loan, though its future display status at the Valentine remains undecided.

For more information, visit the Valentine's website.