COUNTDOWN TO AUGUST 26, 2020:
The 100th anniversary of the ratificationof the 19th Amendment and the unveiling ofthe first statue of real women in Central Park.
Our nonprofit organization, Monumental Women, is ...
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STATEMENT FROM MONUMENTAL WOMEN
We, like you, are outraged and heartbroken by the killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Abery, and the many other Black lives that were taken because of systemic racism and violence….
We all must think long and hard about what this moment means to our country, our city, and our organizations, as well as the role we can and do play in creating an equal and just society.
The stories we tell and those we honor in our public spaces have a powerful impact on how we view and value people’s lives. Perhaps if our public spaces honored the many diverse people who did great things for this country, and not almost exclusively white men – some of whom did terrible things to this country – it would go a long way toward erasing the message that Black lives have less value.
The Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument to be unveiled on the anniversary of the 19th amendment to the Constitution and depicting the struggle for women’s rights, reminds us of the sacrifices and battles of our foremothers and forefathers, but also that we must dedicate ourselves to the unfinished business of achieving true justice for all. This issue is especially urgent for communities of color, whose voting rights are under attack at the same time that their lives are under attack. All women and people of color have had to fight tirelessly for the basic right to vote. Now, we all must not only fight to keep that basic right but use our voting power to achieve fundamental change.
We are even more deeply committed to creating public spaces both here in New York City and across the country that honor and value the many diverse people who spent their lives waging battles for the rights for which activists today continue to fight.
October 21, 2019 – New York City Public Design Commission Approves First Statue Depicting Real Women in Central Park
December 3rd, 2019 – Monumental Women received unanimous approval from the City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission.
There are 23 statues of historical figures in Central Park, but not one honors a woman. Together, we are changing that.
After years of work, we’ve won approval to break the bronze ceiling and build a statue featuring New Yorkers Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony and Sojourner Truth (abolitionists, suffragists, and women’s rights pioneers) in New York City’s Central Park. Now we have to raise funds to commission and maintain that statue as well as to support other components of our Monumental Women Campaign. In addition, we plan more statues to honor other valiant women as well as an extensive Women’s History Education Campaign to highlight the contributions of ALL women. We need your help.
WE ARE
Creating the first-ever statue honoring real women in the 167-year history of New York City’s Central Park
Writing all women back into the historical record through an inclusive education campaign in partnerships with museums and libraries
Challenging U.S. municipalities to recognize and honor the contributions of all women and people of color with tributes in their public spaces
A Polish king. A Venezuelan military leader. A Prussian naturalist. Even a sled dog. Alice in Wonderland and Mother Goose have statues in Central Park as does Juliet (with Romeo).
