| Statue of Mary McLeod Bethune | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Alvin Petit |
| Year | 2021 |
| Type | Bronze |
| Dimensions | 9 ft (2.7 m) (height) |
| Location | Greenville Jersey City, New Jersey |
The statue of Mary McLeod Bethune in Jersey City, New Jersey is located in the Greenville section. It honors the educator and civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune (1875 – 1955).[1]
It was dedicated on November 22, 2021 and marked the completion of the namesake Bethune Park, which opened in August 2021,[2][3] and is opposite the Bethune Center on Martin Luther King Drive. The bronze 9 feet (2.7 m) tall statue on a 2.5 feet (0.76 m) marble pedestal is inspired by Bethune in her late 20s to early 30s.[4]
The statue was designed by Alvin Petit who said of the work: “As a broader significance, this also plays a role in linking our City with a national movement to erect monuments that symbolize diversity and inclusiveness. This will be the first statue in Jersey City to honor the legacy of an African American woman.”[5][6]
The inscription reads:
DR. MARY McCLEOD BETHUNE
July 10, 1875 – May 18, 1955
EDUCATOR * STATEWOMEN * ACTIVIST * ENTREPRENEUR
"If we have the courage and tenacity of our
forebears who stood firmly like a rock against
the lash of slavery, we shall find a way to do
for our day what they did for theirs."
See also[edit]
- List of public art in Jersey City, New Jersey
- Statue of Mary McLeod Bethune (disambiguation)
- Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial
References[edit]
- ^ Koussau, Mark (November 22, 2021). "Jersey City unveils new statue of Mary McLeod Bethune". Hudson Reporter.
- ^ Koosau, Mark (August 26, 2021). "New Bethune Park opens in Jersey City". Hudson Reporter.
- ^ Baer, Marilyn (August 21, 2020). "Construction to begin on Bethune Park". Hudson Reporter.
- ^ "Jersey City unveils statue to civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune". Jersey Journal. November 22, 2021.
- ^ Heinis, John (November 20, 2021). "Jersey City officials unveil 9-foot Mary McLeod Bethune statue at namesake park in Ward F".
- ^ Mercado, Samantha (November 22, 2021). "Jersey City Statue Honors Civil Rights Leader Mary McLeod Bethune". Jersey City Patch.
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