The statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia, which was the center of violent protests in 2017, will be melted down and transformed into public art by an African American heritage center.

The method of disposal for the now-removed statue, which was a focal point during the 2017 Unite the Right rally, was announced by the Charlottesville City Council on Tuesday.

The statues of Lee and Confederate Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson were both removed in July, according to a report.

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The council received at least six proposals addressing how the effigies of the Confederacy's most prominent generals should be disposed of.

It was decided that the statue of Lee would be donated to the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, according to the city council.

The center's "Swords into Plowshares" proposal was bolstered by more than 30 letters of support, including those written by the descendants of former slaves.

"Our hope with 'Swords into Plowshares' is to create something that transforms what was once toxic in our public space into something beautiful that can be more reflective of our entire community's social values," said the center's executive director, Andrea Douglas.

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"We're giving people opportunities to engage with our own narratives and our own histories," Douglas said. "This project offers a road map for other communities to do the same."