The city of Philadelphia has more than 1,700 public statues throughout the city and none of them portrayed a black American—until now. The diverse city recently unveiled a statue of Octavius Catto. Hyperallergic reports:
Today a statue of 19th-century civil rights activist and teacher Octavius V. Catto was unveiled outside of Philadelphia’s City Hall. The 12-foot-tall bronze is at the center of a memorial that honors his extensive contributions, from rallying for the desegregation of street cars, to establishing African American baseball clubs. Emblazoned on granite pillars shaped like upended trolley cars are selections from his words: “There must come a change … which shall force upon this nation … that course which Providence seems wisely to be directing for the mutual benefit of … peoples.”
The city’s mayor hopes the statue will be the first step in recognizing the contributions this man provided to the city—and to the country as a whole. NBC 10 writes:
Mayor Jim Kenney, who first learned of Catto as a city councilman and led a 15-year crusade to memorialize the activist, called him "a true American hero" who should be revered by all Philadelphians and whose legacy should be taught to all Americans.
"My hope is that someday, every child in Philadelphia will know as much about Octavius Valentine Catto as they do about Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Martin Luther King," Kenney said.
The move to honor him is particularly touching considering his untimely demise. After working tirelessly to secure voting rights for black men, he was shot and murdered on the same day black men were finally allowed to vote in October 1871.
See the photo from the unveiling below.
from Daily Kos http://ift.tt/2yzGboR
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