Philly picks design for new Sadie Alexander statue
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You'll soon see this statue standing in Thomas Paine Plaza in Center City. Courtesy of the City of Philadelphia
Philadelphia has selected the winning design for a statue of civil rights activist Sadie Alexander.
Why it matters: It's among the first monuments to a historic African American woman in the city's public art collection.
Driving the news: Vinnie Bagwell's design — "Philadelphia's First Lady of the Law: Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander" — will stand in Center City's Thomas Paine Plaza beside the Municipal Services Building, the city announced Wednesday.
- A city committee considered five semifinalist designs.
Catch up quick: Alexander, born in 1898, was a Philadelphian who broke barriers in academia and law.
- She was the first Black woman to earn a doctorate in economics in the U.S., and the first Black woman to graduate from Penn's Law School.
- Plus: She was a founding member of Philly's Commission on Human Relations and the first Black woman to serve as the city's assistant solicitor.
Flashback: The city launched its plans for a statue of Alexander late last year.
- It's one of Mayor Cherelle Parker's long-time goals.
- Parker pitched the idea of a statue for Alexander in 2018 when she was city legislator, which ultimately fizzled out at the time.
Zoom in: Bagwell's bronze Alexander statue will be finished with a black patina and stand 9 feet tall.
- It depicts Alexander the moment after she graduates from Penn, wearing a graduation robe and a straw hat adorned with flowers.
- Alexander holds a book on the U.S. Constitution, which is opened to the Fourteenth Amendment.
- The pedestal will include her quote: "The future of our nation depends upon our willingness to uphold democracy and justice for all."
What they're saying: "My subjects have souls, and they're meant to be engaged," Bagwell said in a news release.
Zoom out: Two more statues dedicated to historic Black women are in the works for Philly.
- Installation of a Harriet Tubman statue on the apron of City Hall was delayed but is now set for early 2026.
- A statue for Philly community activist Blanche A. Nixon is set for the library in Cobbs Creek that bears her name. No installation date is set.
What's next: Installation of the Alexander statue is expected to start this fall or late 2026.