Latest news with #SadieAlexander
CBS News
31-07-2025
- General
- CBS News
Artist selected to create statue honoring pioneer Sadie T.M. Alexander to stand near Philadelphia City Hall
The design for the statue that will honor Sadie T.M. Alexander, the first Black woman to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania's law school, was unveiled Wednesday in Philadelphia. Alexander was also one of the first Black women to earn a doctorate in the United States. "For her to be the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in economics in the United States of America itself, that alone was enough as far as I was concerned," Mayor Cherelle Parker said. Alexander broke barriers in law, economics and academia and fought to protect the rights of Black Americans throughout her life. CBS News Philadelphia first introduced you to Alexander's trailblazing legacy during Black History Month last year. Her daughter, Dr. Rae Alexander-Minter, helped select the artist and sculptor who created the statue, which will sit in the shadow of City Hall. "If you know your history, you can be Sadie, you can be Raymond, you can be Mayor Parker. You can be that, but you've got to know your history," Alexander-Minter said during the ceremony. Sculptor Vinnie Bagwell created the winning design and will make the statue, which is titled "Philadelphia's First Lady of the Law, Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander." "Sadie Alexander's story is not just Black history or women's history, it's American history, and it belongs in the public square," Bagwell said. The permanent statue will be installed at Thomas Paine Plaza near the municipal services building to serve as a constant reminder of Alexander's inspiring legacy. "With this sculpture, I intend to honor not only her professional accomplishments but her spirit, the quiet strength, the strategic mind, the grace under pressure," Bagwell said. "I want young girls, especially Black girls, to stand before her likeness and see a mirror."
Axios
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Axios
First look: Philadelphia's Sadie Alexander statue designs
Philly has unveiled five finalists' design proposals for the planned statue of civil rights activist Sadie Alexander. Why it matters: It would be the second statue of a historic African American woman figure in the city's public art collection. Context: 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. Zoom in: An online survey, where you can rank your favorite designs and provide feedback, is open through July 9. A selection committee will use the survey results and other criteria to select a winner at the end of July. Installation of the statue is expected to start this fall or late 2026. The design options: Vinnie Bagwell's "The First Lady of the Law: Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander" Rayvenn Shaleigha D'Clark's "Democracy's Battle Cry" Tanda Francis' design Alvin Pettit's "The Face of Resilience" Team Wilson, Honzo and Hayes' proposal
