Equestrian Statue of Theodore Roosevelt (New York City) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Equestrian Statue of Theodore Roosevelt |
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| Artist | James Earle Fraser |
| Year | 1939 |
| Type | Bronze |
| Dimensions | 300 cm × 218 cm × 450 cm (10 ft × 7 ft 2 in × 14 ft 9 in) |
| Location | Manhattan, United States |
| 40°46′51.01″N 73°58′22.21″W / 40.7808361°N 73.9728361°W | |
Equestrian Statue of Theodore Roosevelt is a 1939 bronze sculpture by James Earle Fraser. It is located on public park land at the American Museum of Natural History, New York City. The equestrian statue depicts Theodore Roosevelt on horseback. Walking on either side of him are two men, one an indigenous person and one an African.
On June 21, 2020, the Museum announced that it was asking city officials to remove the statue. Museum president Ellen V. Futter said the decision did not reflect a judgment about Roosevelt but was driven by the sculpture's "hierarchical composition". New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, pushed for it and it was supported by Roosevelt's great-grandson, Theodore Roosevelt IV, and great-great-grandson Kermit Roosevelt III.
Contents
History
It was dedicated on October 27, 1940. Cast by Gorham Manufacturing Company, Providence, RI.
The inscription reads:
(On rear of sculpture:)
J E FRASER SC 1939
(On front of base:)
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
1858–1919
(On left side of base:)
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
1899 1901
(On right side of base:)
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
1901 1909 signed
Commission
The sculpture was commissioned by the Roosevelt Memorial Association in the 1930s after Fraser had delivered his design for the Arts of Peace memorial in Washington D.C., which at the time was also in competition with this memorial as the chosen location. For Arts of Peace, Fraser made a pair of statues of Pegasus depicting the themes Music and Harvest, and Aspiration and Literature.
The statue is placed at the entrance to the Museum's hall of dioramas dedicated to Carl Akeley who had accompanied Roosevelt on a year-long expedition to Africa. The sculpture and its pedestal were designed for this setting, appropriate in scale and design for the neo-classical plans of Henry Bacon's architecture. An earlier monument by Fraser dedicated to Roosevelt in Cuba in 1924 was also designed with Henry Bacon, and they both attended its dedication in Cuba.
The two walking figures have been construed as representations of continents, not individuals in a narrative, and that was common practice in public sculpture, of which London's Albert Memorial is a prominent example. At the same time, the "pyramidal composition" with Roosevelt at its apex "implies a hierarchy". One analysis of the work, after examining the careers of both Roosevelt and Fraser, concludes that "Both men evidently believed in white dominance as natural order. However, Roosevelt and Fraser also had sincere, if paternalistic, admiration for indigenous cultures and a desire to preserve images and artifacts in what was, for the time, a relatively respectful manner." As an early champion of civil rights and equality for black and Native Americans during the early 20th century, many feel the statue depicts Roosevelt as leading minority persons in the U.S. forward towards the promises made to all under the U.S. constitution. Roosevelt's relationship with Booker T. Washington and his appointment of Minnie Cox as the first black regional postmaster in the United States (Indianola, MS) is seen as further cementing this view. Roosevelt's own comments regarding race indicated that he believed all the races were equal, but some cultures were superior due to their greater technological advances over time. The sculptor of the statue, James Earle Fraser, stated the intent with these words: “The two figures at [Roosevelt’s] side are guides symbolizing the continents of Africa and America, and if you choose may stand for Roosevelt’s friendliness to all races.”
Planned removal
The world does not need statues, relics of another age, that reflect neither the values of the person they intend to honor nor the values of equality and justice. — Theodore Roosevelt IV
On June 21, 2020, the Museum announced that it would remove the statue. Museum president Ellen V. Futter said the decision did not reflect a judgment about Roosevelt but was driven by the sculpture's "hierarchical composition". Her statement to Museum staff said that "many of us find its depictions of the Native American and African figures and their placement in the monument racist". Roosevelt's great-grandson, Theodore Roosevelt IV, approved the decision, saying "The world does not need statues, relics of another age, that reflect neither the values of the person they intend to honor nor the values of equality and justice." New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said: "The American Museum of Natural History has asked to remove the Theodore Roosevelt statue because it explicitly depicts Black and Indigenous people as subjugated and racially inferior. The City supports the Museum’s request. It is the right decision and the right time to remove this problematic statue."
On July 12, 2020, Roosevelt's great-grandson Mark Roosevelt backed efforts to remove the statue, stating in a CBS News article "If we wish to live in harmony and equality with people of other races, we should not maintain paternalistic statues that depict Native Americans and African Americans in subordinate roles. The statue of Theodore Roosevelt, my great-grandfather, in front of New York's Museum of Natural History, does so, and it is good that it is being taken down."
See also
In Spanish: Estatua ecuestre de Theodore Roosevelt (Nueva York) para niños
