DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (AP) — Rev. Robert W. Lee IV admits he was surprised, Wednesday, when NASCAR announced they’d be banning confederate flags at races. But the move gave the activist and descendent of the Confederate general of the same name, hope.
“They may recruit some fans, they may lose some fans but ultimately there’s going to be people that need to have the deep conversations about what it means to be a southern sport, a primarily southern sport. And also be engaged in conversations about what it means to confront racism,” he said.
Three years ago, Lee became a public figure when he spoke out against racial injustice on the MTV Video Music Awards. He expected the fight to remove Confederate flags and statues would be a lifelong battle.
“To see this change, this shift happen so fast, gives me a lot of hope in humanity. The work continues,” he said.
Wednesday night, NASCAR driver, Bubba Wallace, raced in Martinsville, Virginia with “Black Lives Matter” painted on his car.
Lee sees progress but hopes the conversation keeps moving.
“They may recruit some fans, they may lose some fans but ultimately there’s going to be people that need to have the deep conversations about what it means to be a southern sport, a primarily southern sport. And also be engaged in conversations about what it means to confront racism,” Lee said.
