The Harrisburg Peace Promenade has initiated the Commonwealth Monument Project which is a broader initiative of the International Institute of Peace through Tourism (IIPT) The project will result in the casting in bronze of four figures of noted historic African-American persons. The commemorative Monument is to be installed on the lawn of the Irvis State Office Building at the foot of the Capitol Complex in Harrisburg.
The Monument is in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the 15th constitutional amendment that gave African Americans the right to vote and 100th year Anniversary of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote. The Monument will feature four figures namely: T. Morris Chester, William Howard Day, Francis Harper, and Jacob Compton highlighted by a central “Orators” pedestal.
Ms. Peggy Grove, who is a member of the Peace Promenade Committee, has funded the completed “Orators’ Pedestal” which is capped with a 3-D miniature layout of Harrisburg’s old 8th Ward formerly located behind the Capitol building. Upon the pedestal’s sides are 100 names of citizens who were instrumental in breaking down racial barriers and assisting in the development of Harrisburg’s African American community
This Monument will help to educate adults and students about the struggle to achieve voting rights for African-Americans and women in the United States and the Monument will generate history and educational programs, as well become a tourism destination, in metropolitan Harrisburg and state-wide.
The project now enters the dynamic phase of brining the four life-size bronze figures to fruition following the process from rebar skeletons, through clay sculpting, wax molding, bronze casting, welding and finishing, and final installation.
Beginning May 2020, the quartet of bronze figures and the ornate pedestal will be mounted on a 16 ft. cobblestone circle near the present PHMC State marker which provides cultural grounding for the unique project.
Additional historic signage including a Harrisburg City historic pedestal and the Bethel Trail historic marker enhance the significance of the site and help interpret the importance of the monument for the 100,000 annual tourists and visitors to the Capitol Complex.
The monument will be dedicated on June 15th, 2020 to raise the curtain on a week of events across the Commonwealth ending with June 19th Juneteenth Commemorations, an official state-wide holiday as declared by Governor Wolf.
