NPR

Lee Relative Who Denounced White Supremacy Resigns As Pastor Of N.C. Church

Robert W. Lee IV said some members of his congregation were uncomfortable with the media attention he received after his speech against racism and hate on MTV's Video Music Awards in August.
The Rev. Robert Wright Lee, a relative of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, resigned on Monday as pastor from a North Carolina church. Above, Lee speaks at the MTV Video Music Awards in August. / Matt Sayles / Shutterstock.com

A descendant of a nephew of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee announced yesterday that he had resigned as pastor of his church in Winston-Salem, N.C. Robert Wright Lee IV, who came to national attention denouncing his relative's legacy on NPR and elsewhere, said he made the decision after Bethany United Church of Christ moved to vote on his tenure there.

"We are all. "There are so many good things going on with this congregation and I do not want my fight to detract from the mission. If the recent media attention causes concern with my church, I reluctantly offer my resignation."

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min readCrime & Violence
Heated Arguments At The Supreme Court In Newest Abortion Case
At issue is a clash between federal and state law about how pregnant women must be treated in the emergency room.
NPR5 min readAmerican Government
First Day Of Trump's Hush Money Trial Kicks Off With Opening Statements And A Witness
The prosecution is arguing that Donald Trump wanted to keep information out of the public fearing that it would turn off voters in 2016. The defense argues Trump did nothing illegal.
NPR5 min read
A Woman With Failing Kidneys Receives Genetically Modified Pig Organs
Surgeons transplanted a kidney and thymus gland from a gene-edited pig into a 54-year-old woman in an attempt to extend her life. It's the latest experimental use of animal organs in humans.

Related Books & Audiobooks