New York’s Central Park is making history by unveiling a new statue honoring three women pioneers that fought for gender equality.
The park currently has 23 statues of men, but none of women. The three women who will be depicted in the new statue are Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Sojourner Truth.
“This statue conveys the power of women working together to bring about revolutionary change in our society,” said Pam Elam, president of the Monumental Women nonprofit of volunteer advocates, historians and community leaders.
The organization privately raised $1.5 million to create the statue and maintain it for an educational program.
“My hope is that all people, but especially young people, will be inspired by this image of women of different races, different religious backgrounds and different economic status working together to change the world,” Bergmann said after the vote.
The statue will be first in the park’s 166-year history to show real-life women. The only other statues of women in the park depict fictional characters. The city commission voted on Monday to erect a monument, and Truth, an escaped slave and abolitionist, was added to the statue in response to African Americans being excluded.
Artist Bergmann’s original design only showed Anthony and Stanton, and it was criticized for lacking African Amerian women who helped shape women’s rights.
The statue will be shown at the Mall and Literary Walk in Central Park in August 2020. This will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment, which granted women the right to vote.
Michael Bergmann / AP
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Central Park Announces First Statue Depicting Real Women
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New York’s Central Park is making history by unveiling a new statue honoring three women pioneers that fought for gender equality.
The park currently has 23 statues of men, but none of women. The three women who will be depicted in the new statue are Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Sojourner Truth.
“This statue conveys the power of women working together to bring about revolutionary change in our society,” said Pam Elam, president of the Monumental Women nonprofit of volunteer advocates, historians and community leaders.
The organization privately raised $1.5 million to create the statue and maintain it for an educational program.
“My hope is that all people, but especially young people, will be inspired by this image of women of different races, different religious backgrounds and different economic status working together to change the world,” Bergmann said after the vote.
The statue will be first in the park’s 166-year history to show real-life women. The only other statues of women in the park depict fictional characters. The city commission voted on Monday to erect a monument, and Truth, an escaped slave and abolitionist, was added to the statue in response to African Americans being excluded.
Artist Bergmann’s original design only showed Anthony and Stanton, and it was criticized for lacking African Amerian women who helped shape women’s rights.
The statue will be shown at the Mall and Literary Walk in Central Park in August 2020. This will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment, which granted women the right to vote.