Philly backpedals on Harriet Tubman statue plans

Catch up fast: A statue of Harriet Tubman by artist Wesley Wofford sat outside City Hall for nearly three months earlier this year as part of a temporary exhibit celebrating the abolitionist's 200th birthday.

• In March, before the artwork left town for the next leg of its tour, the city announced it had commissioned Wofford to create a permanent statue in Tubman's honor.
• Shortly after, Black artists and community members criticized the closed selection process.
• In mid-August, seven City Council members wrote to the Creative Economy Office about the plan for the statue, saying "taxpayer dollars towards Philadelphia's public art should be prioritized with Philadelphia artists," per the Inquirer.

What's ahead: The call for artists will open before year's end, the city says, and an artist and design selected by fall 2023.