List of monuments to African Americans facts for kids

This article is about important memorials that honor African American history and the people who made a difference. These memorials help us remember important events and heroes from the past, like those who fought against slavery or for equal rights. They are special places where we can learn and reflect on the journey and achievements of African Americans.

Honoring Heroes and History

Memorials are like giant history books made of stone, metal, or art. They remind us of brave people and big moments in history. Many of these memorials celebrate the strength and courage of African Americans who worked for freedom and equality.

Early Memorials for Freedom Fighters

Some of the first memorials were created to remember those who fought against slavery and for civil rights.

Bust of York

A bust of York (explorer) was placed in Mount Tabor Park in Portland, Oregon, in February 2021. York was an enslaved man who was part of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition. This memorial helped people remember his important role in history.

Robert Gould Shaw Memorial

The Robert Gould Shaw Memorial in Boston Common, Boston, Massachusetts, was finished in 1897. It honors the brave African American soldiers who fought in the American Civil War. It shows Colonel Robert Gould Shaw leading the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first Black regiments.

Statue of Frederick Douglass

In 1899, a statue of Frederick Douglass was put up in Frederick Douglass Memorial Square in Rochester, New York. Douglass was a very important leader who escaped slavery and became a famous writer and speaker. He lived in Rochester for 25 years and is buried there.

Colored Soldiers Monument in Frankfort

The Colored Soldiers Monument in Frankfort was built in 1924 in Green Hill Cemetery, Frankfort, Kentucky. It honors the African American soldiers who served their country.

Victory Monument

The Victory Monument in Douglas, Chicago, Illinois, was completed in 1927. It celebrates the Eighth Regiment of the Illinois National Guard, an African American unit that fought bravely in World War I.

All Wars Memorial to Colored Soldiers and Sailors

In 1934, the All Wars Memorial to Colored Soldiers and Sailors was unveiled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This memorial honors all African American soldiers and sailors who served in different wars.

John Brown and African-American Child

A sculpture showing John Brown and an African-American child was created in 1935. It is located at the John Brown Farm State Historic Site in North Elba, New York. This memorial remembers the fight against slavery.

Memorials for Civil Rights and Equality

Many memorials were created to honor the leaders and events of the Civil Rights Movement, which fought for equal rights for all people.

El Hombre Redimido

In 1956, the sculpture El Hombre Redimido (The Redeemed Man) was placed in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It celebrates the end of slavery in Puerto Rico.

Expelled Because of Color

The sculpture Expelled Because of Color was created in 1978 and stands on the grounds of the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia. It remembers the 33 African American legislators who were unfairly removed from the Georgia General Assembly in 1868.

Civil Rights Memorial

The Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama, designed by Maya Lin, was dedicated in 1989. It lists the names of 41 people who died during the Civil Rights Movement. Water flows over a black granite table, with the names carved into it.

Amistad Memorial

The Amistad Memorial was unveiled in 1992 at New Haven City Hall in New Haven, Connecticut. It honors Sengbe Pieh and the other Africans who rebelled against their captors on the slave ship Amistad in 1839.

Harriet Tubman Memorials

Several statues honor Harriet Tubman, a brave woman who escaped slavery and helped many others find freedom through the Underground Railroad.

• A statue by Jane DeDecker was placed in Las Sendas Community, Mesa, Arizona, in 1995.
• Another statue by Jane DeDecker was put at Brenau University, Gainesville, Georgia, in 1997.
• The Harriet Tubman Memorial by Fern Cunningham was dedicated in 1999 in Harriet Tubman Park, Boston, Massachusetts.
• Jane DeDecker created another statue of Harriet Tubman in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 2004.
• In 2005, a statue by Jane DeDecker was placed in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
• The Harriet Tubman Memorial by Alison Saar was unveiled in Manhattan, New York City, in 2007.

African American History Monument

The African American History Monument was dedicated in 2001 at the South Carolina State House in Columbia, South Carolina. It tells the story of African Americans in South Carolina, from the time of slavery to modern times.

Sojourner Truth Memorial

A Sojourner Truth Memorial was created in 2002 in Florence, Massachusetts. Sojourner Truth was another important leader who escaped slavery and became a powerful speaker for women's rights and the abolition of slavery.

African-American Monument

The African-American Monument was unveiled in 2002 in Savannah, Georgia. It honors the contributions of African Americans to the city's history.

Integration

The sculpture Integration was placed at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, in 2004. It shows three important figures in the university's history: Maxwell Courtney, the first African American student to graduate; Doby Flowers, the first Black Miss Florida State University; and Fred Flowers, the first Black varsity athlete.

Statue of Fred Lee Douglas

A statue of Fred Lee Douglas was erected in 2004 in Frenchtown, Tallahassee, Florida. Douglas was the first African American policeman in Tallahassee to have a regular patrol route.

C. K. Steele Statue and Plaza

The C. K. Steele Statue and Plaza in Tallahassee, Florida, was dedicated in 2005. It honors Reverend C. K. Steele, a key civil rights leader in Tallahassee during the 1950s.

Ray Charles Memorial

A memorial to the famous musician Ray Charles was unveiled in 2006 in Greenville, Florida, where he grew up.

29th Colored Regiment Monument

The 29th Colored Regiment Monument was dedicated in 2008 in New Haven, Connecticut. It honors the 29th Connecticut Colored Infantry Regiment, an African American unit that fought in the Civil War.

Bust of Sojourner Truth (U.S. Capitol)

A bust of Sojourner Truth was placed in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., in 2009. This is a significant honor, placing her image in the nation's capital.

Frederick Douglass Statues

More statues of Frederick Douglass have been created:

• A statue was placed in Harlem, New York City, in 2009.
• Another statue was put at the Talbot County Courthouse in Easton, Maryland, in 2011. Douglass was from Talbot County.
• The Frederick Douglass statue was placed in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., in 2013.
• The Frederick Douglass statue was unveiled at the University of Maryland, College Park in College Park, Maryland, in 2015. Douglass was from Maryland.

Statue of Rosa Parks (U.S. Capitol)

A statue of Rosa Parks was placed in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., in 2013. Rosa Parks was a brave woman whose refusal to give up her bus seat helped start the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a major event in the Civil Rights Movement.

Sojourner Truth Memorial (Esopus)

Another Sojourner Truth Memorial was dedicated in 2013 in Esopus, New York, where she was born. This memorial shows her as a young enslaved child.

Denmark Vesey Monument

The Denmark Vesey Monument was unveiled in 2014 in Hampton Park, Charleston, South Carolina. It shows Denmark Vesey, a carpenter and former enslaved man who planned a large slave revolt.

Slavery Memorial (Brown University)

The Slavery Memorial was placed at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, in 2014. It acknowledges the university's historical ties to slavery.

Benjamin Banneker Statue

A statue of Benjamin Banneker was placed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., in 2016. Banneker was a free African American who was a scientist, astronomer, and writer.

The Quest for Parity

The Quest for Parity is a sculpture of Octavius Catto unveiled in 2017 at Philadelphia City Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Catto was an important civil rights activist, educator, and baseball player.

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice opened in 2018 in Montgomery, Alabama. This large memorial remembers the thousands of African Americans who were victims of racial terror lynchings. It has 805 hanging steel monuments, each representing a county where lynchings occurred.

Memorial to Enslaved Laborers

The Memorial to Enslaved Laborers was dedicated in 2020 at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. It honors the enslaved people who built and maintained the university.

Women's Rights Pioneers Monument

The Women's Rights Pioneers Monument was unveiled in 2020 in Central Park, New York City. It features Sojourner Truth, along with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, honoring their work for women's rights.

Statue of Mary McLeod Bethune (U.S. Capitol)

A statue of Mary McLeod Bethune is planned for the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. She was an important educator and civil rights leader, and her statue will represent Florida.

Hearth: Memorial to the Enslaved

The Hearth: Memorial to the Enslaved was dedicated in May 2022 at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. It honors the African Americans who were enslaved by the college.

Emancipation and Freedom Monument

The Emancipation and Freedom Monument was unveiled in 2021 on Brown's Island in Richmond, Virginia. This monument celebrates the freedom of enslaved people and replaced a statue of a Confederate general.

Images for kids

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  Bust of York

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  Robert Gould Shaw Memorial

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  Statue of Frederick Douglass

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  Colored Soldiers Monument in Frankfort

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  Victory Monument

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  All Wars Memorial to Colored Soldiers and Sailors

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  John Brown and African-American child

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  El Hombre Redimido

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  Expelled Because of Color

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  Civil Rights Memorial

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  Amistad Memorial

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  Harriet Tubman Memorial in Boston

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  African American History Monument

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  Statue of Harriet Tubman in Ypsilanti

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  Harriet Tubman Memorial in New York City

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  29th Colored Regiment Monument

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  Bust of Sojourner Truth

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  Frederick Douglass statue in the U.S. Capitol

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  Statue of Rosa Parks

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  Sojourner Truth Memorial in Esopus

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  Denmark Vesey Monument

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  Slavery Memorial at Brown University

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  Frederick Douglass statue at University of Maryland

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  Benjamin Banneker statue

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  Emancipation and Freedom Monument