Creative Philly invites local residents of all ages to review designs for a new Harriet Tubman statue and to take part in a survey to give input on the five proposed designs for a permanent, site-specific public art statue that will honor Harriet Tubman’s life, legacy, and contributions to our nation’s history.
The city faced controversy over its initial plan to commission Wesley Wofford to design the sculpture without seeking proposals from other artists. The decision was decried by local artists and historians and the city issued a new open-call process. According to Valerie Russ with The Philadelphia Inquirer, 50 artists submitted applications, and five semifinalists were chosen.
The artists and their proposed designs include Vinnie Bagwell: “Harriet Tubman, City of Liberty,” Richard Blake, Artwork Title – TBD, Tanda Francis, “Together in Freedom,” Alvin Pettit, Artwork Title – TBD, and Basil Watson, “Keep Going.”
The final design will be selected by the African-American Statue Advisory Committee and will be the first statue of a Black female historical figure in the City’s public art collection and will be installed on the Northeast apron of City Hall. Creative Philly encourages participation in the survey to ensure that the city’s Harriet Tubman statue reflects the communities that shape Philadelphia. The survey will be available until September 1, at 11:59 p.m. The survey and details on the proposed designs are available here.