Central Park

NYC PARKS AND THE STANTON AND ANTHONY STATUE FUND DEDICATE FUTURE SITE FOR THE “ELIZABETH CADY STANTON AND SUSAN B. ANTHONY WOMAN SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT MONUMENT”

NYC PARKS AND THE STANTON AND ANTHONY STATUE FUND DEDICATE FUTURE SITE FOR THE “ELIZABETH CADY STANTON AND SUSAN B. ANTHONY WOMAN SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT MONUMENT”

Statue Fund Opens Call for Artists

Monument Jury Panel Announced

On the centennial of women’s suffrage in New York State, NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, joined Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Congress Woman Carolyn Maloney; Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer; Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue Fund President Pam Elam; Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue Fund Vice President Coline Jenkins, the great-great granddaughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton; Council Member Helen Rosenthal; New York Life Foundation President Heather Nesle; President and CEO, of the Central Park Conservancy and Central Park Administrator Doug Blonsky; Assembly Member Danny O’Donnell; Girl Scout Troops 3484 and 3482; members of the NYC Council Women’s Caucus; and community members to dedicate the future Central Park site for the “Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Woman Suffrage Movement Monument.” Slated for a 2020 unveiling on the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the monument will stand on The Mall in Central Park on Literary Walk. Celebrating the women’s rights movement, the monument will be the first figurative piece depicting real women in Central Park, and the park’s first commemorative sculpture installation since 1965.

The “Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Woman Suffrage Movement Monument” was proposed by, and is commissioned and endowed by the Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue Fund. The Statue Fund is supported by a $500,000 New York Life Insurance Company Challenge Grant; $100,000 from Borough President Brewer and $35,000 from Council Member Helen Rosenthal.

“Today marks the centennial anniversary of women’s right to vote in New York State, making it the perfect opportunity to officially dedicate the future site of the Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Woman Suffrage Movement Monument in iconic Central Park,” said Commissioner Silver. “This monument will honor these women and the movement they stood for, and remind us of our shared, lasting values—justice and equity and persistence. We look forward to welcoming it to its rightful place alongside Alexander Hamilton, Daniel Webster, General Sherman, and Fredrick Douglass. It’s long past time for us to honor the enormous contributions New York’s women have made to the fight for gender equity, and Parks is grateful to all who have made this possible.”

"Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were uncompromising women’s rights leaders who revolutionized the political and social climate for American women. It is not only appropriate, but necessary that we commemorate their contribution to society with the first statues in Central Park honoring real women," said First Lady Chirlane McCray, Co-Chair of the Commission on Gender Equity.

"Central Park hasn't seen a new commemorative sculpture in more than half a century, so it's fitting that we finally break the bronze ceiling with this long-deserved, long-awaited monument to the women's suffrage movement," said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. "Now is the moment when it's most important that we honor Stanton, Anthony, and the entire movement of women both known and unknown who fought for suffrage -- and draw on their courage and determination as we continue the fight for equality. Congratulations and thank you to everyone who has been involved in making this a reality, especially the leaders of the Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue Fund."

Pam Elam, president, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue Fund, stated: “We are here to move history forward. Our project honors New Yorkers Stanton and Anthony as well as ALL the women who fought for the largest nonviolent revolution in the history of this nation when over half the population was enfranchised. It’s an instant history lesson. It’s an examination of how social change comes about. But most of all, it’s about completing the journeys toward justice of the valiant women who came before us and achieving the full equality for women that they were denied.”

Coline Jenkins, Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s great, great granddaughter and Statue Fund vice president stated, “In 1848, my great-great grandmother Elizabeth Cady Stanton drew from fundamental American values when she stated that "All men and women are created equal." Her chief grievance was, "He has compelled her to submit to laws, in the formation of which she has no voice." Ultimately the women's rights movement connected women and law, starting with the fundamental right to vote. On November 6, we celebrate 100 years of women's voting right in New York State, and in 2020, as we celebrate women’s right to vote across the country, in Central Park we will unveil a monument in tribute to her, Susan B. Anthony and all the thousands of women the movement represented. Onward!”

"We are proud to be a part of this effort to honor the women who had such an incredible impact on this city, state, and nation. Funding this statue that will help to preserve history for generations to come is perfectly aligned with New York Life’s tradition of service and humanity that has endured for more than 170 years,” said Heather Nesle, president of the New York Life Foundation and a member of the board of directors of the Statue Fund. "I’d like to thank all of the New York Life agents and employees from across the country that have donated their time and money to help us support this historic initiative."

"Today we mark the 100th anniversary of suffrage in New York State, and we honor the incredible dedication and determination of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton who unfortunately did not live to see women granted the right to vote. When completed, this Central Park monument will be a fitting way to honor the heroism of Anthony, Stanton, and all the unnamed women who championed, and finally won, suffrage for their sisters. These women persevered despite public and private harassment and ridicule, decades of setbacks, and even arrest. But Stanton and Anthony won the day -- and we owe them an enormous debt of gratitude. We’ve spent the last century making suffrage live up to its promise--extending the vote to women of all backgrounds and fighting for progress every step of the way. But none of this would have been possible were it not for them," said Council Member Helen Rosenthal, Co-chair, Women's Caucus.

“As proud supporters of this project, the Central Park Conservancy looks forward to welcoming the Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Woman Suffrage Movement Monument to Central Park,” said Douglas Blonsky, president and ceo, Central Park Conservancy and Central Park Administrator.

“Today we are celebrating a monumental feat – the successful campaign to bring the first statue of actual women ever to be erected in Central Park, thanks to Pam Elam and the Stanton and Anthony Statue Fund. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony and their colleagues were New Yorkers who changed our country by spreading the idea that women should have the right to vote. Few campaigns have had such a profound impact on our nation, and the tireless leaders of that effort deserve to have a statue in New York’s town green – Central Park,” said Congress Woman Carolyn Maloney.

New York State Senator Liz Krueger stated: "It is vital that our city and state make an effort to recognize the important contributions that women have made throughout our history. Memorializing the work of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and all those who fought for and won women’s right to vote, is an appropriate starting point. I thank Commissioner Silver, Borough President Brewer, and all those who continue to work to make this monument a reality."

“Our public monuments should educate and inspire, while paying tribute to those who have left a lasting, positive mark on our society,” said State Senator Jose Serrano. “Honoring the legacy of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony and the Woman’s Suffrage Movement shows that New Yorkers care deeply about our history and recognize those who fought valiantly for the causes of human and civil rights. My sincerest gratitude to NYC Parks, the Central Park Conservancy, and all those involved with making the important monument a reality.“

State Senator Brad Hoylman said: "With barely 3% of city statues depicting women, it's past time New York City recognize the women who shaped our city's and nation's history. As we celebrate the centennial of women's suffrage in New York, we must take action to ensure equal representation in our legislatures and board rooms. I'm grateful to the NYC Parks and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer for recognizing two intrepid female leaders and prioritizing equal representation throughout our city."

"As we celebrate one hundred years of women's suffrage in New York, we are reminded of what it took to get here and how far we still must go to reach true equality," said Assemblymember Dan Quart. "We can look to Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton for inspiration as we push to move women's issues forward and safeguard the progress we've made. We must continue to fight for a more inclusive and equal New York, one that protects reproductive health, ensures equal pay and expands opportunity for all. I thank Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and NYC Parks for bringing us together to celebrate our past while working towards a more just future."

Assemblymember Danny O’Donnell, Chair of Tourism, Parks, Arts & Sports stated: Every Election Day, I greet voters at my poll site, standing outside to thank them for participating in our democratic process. Last year, I had the privilege of speaking with one of my constituents who is over 100 years old. She lived during a time when women were not afforded the right to vote. Now that she is guaranteed the right to choose her representatives, she votes in every single election. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were incredible leaders of the women's suffrage movement, and their legacies are honored by this monument and millions of other women every time they cast a vote, run for office, and challenge the status quo. I'm proud that women's suffrage is memorialized in Central Park, and I thank Gale Brewer and all others who have made this a reality.

“It is fitting, if long overdue, that the first monument showcasing real women in Central Park will feature Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony,” said Assembly Member Richard N. Gottfried, whose district includes the southern portion of Central Park. “Just as both New Yorkers were pioneers of the women’s suffrage movement who changed history forever, so too will the unveiling of their monument on the centennial of the passage of the 19th Amendment break a gender barrier in the most famous park in the world’s greatest city. I congratulate all those who worked so hard to make this monument possible.”

Council Member Laurie Cumbo stated: "As chair of the Committee on Women's Issues and co-chair of the Women's Caucus, I am proud to celebrate the centennial of women's suffrage and the pioneers that helped propel women into the voting booth and ultimately public office. This Movement was a catalyst for the advancement of gender equity in the State of New York and across the U.S. Despite our significant achievements and invaluable contributions to American history, women remain underrepresented as monuments across our city’s landscape. It is truly fitting that the commission to design the Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Woman Suffrage Movement Monument will signify our efforts to correct that imbalance, immortalize the legacy of these dynamic women, and inspire the next generation of trailblazers. This is only the beginning, and it is my mission to identify opportunities where we can create more markers of women's history that honor women of all backgrounds," said Council Member Laurie A. Cumbo.

"The Women's Suffrage Movement marked an incredible step forward in America's long and continuing struggle to be a more perfect union," said Council Member Corey Johnson, Chair of the Health Committee. "Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony represent the type of progressive figures we should be celebrating in our City today. I'd like to thank Commissioner Silver, Borough President Brewer, and the NYC Council Women's Caucus for making this exciting addition possible."

“Currently, you can count on one hand the number of statues of historic women in New York City parks,” said Council Member Dan Garodnick. “Today’s dedication marks a step toward righting this wrong, and brings us closer to a long-awaited permanent tribute to the achievements of the suffrage movement."

Today, the Statue Fund launched the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and Request for Proposals (RFP), which calls for artists and artist teams to come forth for consideration. The RFQ/RFP is available for artists interested in reviewing the, process details, design guidelines and submitting for consideration. There will be a question period from Nov. 7 through Dec. 15, 2017. Post, the deadline for qualifications and concept submission, from which semi-finalists will be chosen, is February 14, 2018. Semi-finalists will submit their final presentations to the jury in June and the finalist will be announced in the summer of 2018.

Submissions and design selection will be considered by the “Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Woman Suffrage Movement Monument” jury panel, whose esteemed members were selected by the Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue Fund. The jury panel members include:

• Dr. Jennifer Chi, deputy director and chief curator, Brooklyn Museum
• Kinshasha Holman Conwill, deputy director, National Museum of African American History
• Pam Elam, president, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue Fund
• Amy Freitag, executive director, JM Kaplan Foundation
• Coline Jenkins, vice president, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue Fund and Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s great, great, granddaughter
• Elizabeth Sackler, founder, Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum
• Dr. Harriet F. Senie, director, Art History, Art Museum Studies Program, The City College
• and Culture
• NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP

The “Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Woman Suffrage Movement Monument” highlights the need for a history that accurate tells women’s stories. Elizabeth Cady Stanton authored the Declaration of Sentiments, a founding document of the American women’s rights movement that was first presented at 1848 Seneca Fall Conference. She met Susan B. Anthony shortly thereafter at an abolitionist meeting, and the two began a lifelong partnership that committed to equal rights for women. Together they founded The Revolution, a suffragist newspaper, and the National Woman Suffrage Association. Both women’s activities were centered in New York City and State.

Along with Stanton and Anthony, the monument will honor the memory of the many others who worked tirelessly to advance women’s rights, including Sojourner Truth, Lucy Stone, Mary Church Terrell, Anna Howard Shaw and Ida B. Wells-Barnett. The Central Park site, with support from the Central Park Conservancy, has been selected in accordance with the dictates of the park’s original designers, Olmsted and Vaux, who identified two locations where commemorative sculpture should be sited in the park: entrances along the perimeter and The Mall. By placing the monument in this location many of the park’s nearly 42 million annual visitors will engage the historical work and planned related programming so to learn more about the many contributions these pioneers and others in the movement made.

New York Life Insurance Company’s $500,000 Challenge Grant, awarded to by the Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue Fund, reinforces its commitment to New York City and the company’s support of diversity and inclusion by creating a lasting monument to honor real women. Part of New York Life's mission is to be here for good, reflecting both the permanence of New York Life and our commitment to do the right thing in business and society. New York Life has a personal connection to the movement: Susan B. Anthony was one of its first female policyholders and her father, brother and brother-in-law were agents of the company. Further, Anthony used the cash value of her life insurance policy to ensure the admittance of women to the University of Rochester for the first time.

About the Stanton and Anthony Statue Fund

The Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Statue Fund, with its campaign Monumental Women, seeks to honor all the women who fought for the right to vote in its proposed Central Park Monument, as well as to promote the interest in, and knowledge of, Women's History. The Statue Fund is a 501(c)(3) charity: monumentalwomen.org

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