During the 1920 Census, more Americans lived in urban areas than in rural areas. Virginia was no exception to this. In fact, by 1950, most of the population of Virginia lived in cities. This urbanization process had been occurring for centuries. In fact, in 2010, eight out of every ten Virginians lived in urban areas. Today, the state is home to more than eight million people. However, the process of urbanization has slowed down considerably.
The state's population is diverse, with a disproportionate share of black residents. The state has the ninth-largest African American population in the country. However, despite the fact that many black residents live in rural areas, the city government of Richmond is dominated by black people, and many of the city's top positions are held by people of color. Regardless of this, the Confederate monuments may remain in place for some time, as they did in the past.
After the Civil War, Virginia was the epicenter of the movement to establish "the New South." The new economic model in the United States focused on growing cash crops like tobacco, which brought in a significant portion of the state's income. However, this new economic model did not necessarily break with the old South's attitudes toward race. The state was home to many racist laws that would later spread nationwide. Nevertheless, the state remained one of the fastest-recovering states in the Confederate era.