Coverage on EVE and the Amelia Earhart statue

Here’s a quick round-up of the news pieces we’ve tracked since our press release announcing the commission for the new Amelia Earhart statue:

• Amelia Earhart flies into Statuary Hall

  Washington Post

• Earhart lands in U.S. Capitol

  Kansas City Star

• Earhart may finally land in US Capitol

  The Wichita Eagle

• Earhart statue bound for U.S. Capitol

  St. Joseph News-Press

• Newsflash: Amelia Earhart’s Legacy Will be Set in Stone

  Ms. Magazine

• Amelia Earhart Statue to be Added to Capitol

  Ms. Magazine

• Amelia Earhart Statue to be added at the U.S. Capital

  BuzzTab

• Statue of Amelia Earhart will be seen in Statuary Hall

  eWorld Post

• Amelia Earhart In Statuary Hall Will Remind Young Girls To Achieve Their Dreams

  FameCrawler

• Amelia Earhart Biography Includes Statue in Capitol at “Hall” – 10th Woman to be Honored

  Gather

• Sculpture of Amelia Earhart to be placed in Statuary Hall

  All Voices

• Amelia Earhart is going to have a statue in the Statuary

  Jack Times

It’s official: Amelia Earhart will be the tenth woman in Statuary Hall

And EVE has been entrusted with the responsibility for making it happen.

I promised a couple of months ago that we had two very big announcements brewing, both of them related to Amelia Earhart. The first was the parade balloon, which is on schedule for a debut this fall.

The second announcement is this: the Governor of Kansas has just signed off on replacing the statue of John James Ingalls in Statuary Hall with a new statue of Amelia Earhart. EVE is named as the party responsible for raising the money and commissioning the statue.

I’ll just quote our press release:

August 23 — It’s official: Kansas will replace its statue of John James Ingalls in the U.S. Capitol with a new sculpture of famed aviator Amelia Earhart.

Ingalls has represented Kansas for more than a century in the National Statuary Hall Collection, which features two statues of illustrious citizens from each state. Amelia Earhart will become only the tenth woman to be honored with a statue in the collection.

Equal Visibility Everywhere (EVE), a national non-profit dedicated to achieving gender parity in the country’s symbols and icons, has been given responsibility for raising the funds for the statue and commissioning the artist.

…continue reading

Atchison Chamber of Commerce passes resolution supporting EVE’s Amelia Earhart project

The text of the resolution passed May 11, 2010 by the Atchison Chamber of Commerce, officially recognizing EVE’s role in funding and organizing the Amelia Earhart statue project:

WHEREAS, a resolution was passed in 1999 by the Kansas Legislature, that a statue of Amelia Earhart should replace the statue of Senator John Ingalls in Statuary Hall in Washington DC; and

WHEREAS, a new not-for-profit group known as Equal Visibility Everywhere has contacted the Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce about securing the funding for such statue;

Be it resolved by the Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce, we will support Dr. Lynette Long, current President of Equal Visibility Everywhere, and her group in their effort to secure the funding for the creation, transportation and installation of the Amelia Earhart statue; as well as the returning of the Senator John Ingalls statue to Kansas.

Signed this 11th day of May, 2010

Michael Hundley, Board Chair Jacque Pregont, President

Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce

We’re on our way!

NOW letter to Governor Mark Parkinson

NOW State Coordinator Keri Ann Rinker sent this letter today to Governor Parkinson:

April 23, 2010

Governor Mark Parkinson
Kansas State Capitol, Suite 212-S
300 SW 10th Ave
Topeka, KS 66612-1590

Dear Governor Parkinson,

I am writing you today to ask your support toward the completion an unfinished task. This task is of significant importance to the women of Kansas and the women of the United States. That task is to bring Amelia Earhart to the United States Capitol. This is of worthy attention, as currently there are only 9 women among the 100 statues in our National Statuary Hall representing the 50 states and Kansas has already made a commitment to make Amelia the 10th. …continue reading

NOW letter to Kansas Department of Commerce

NOW State Coordinator Keri Ann Rinker sent this letter today to the Kansas Department of Commerce:

April 23, 2010

Kansas Department of Commerce
1000 SW Jackson St
Suite 100
Topeka, KS 66612-1354

To Whom it May Concern,

I am writing this letter today to inquire about the progress of the Kansas Department of Commerce toward the task it has been charged with…the task of moving Amelia Earhart to Washington DC. SCR 1617 was passed and signed into law by Governor Bill Graves in 1999. This resolution sought to replace the current statues representing Kansas at the US Capitol. Our state statues at that time were George W Glick and Senator John James Ingalls. The resolution was a commitment by the state to replace those statues with the statues of President Dwight D.Eisenhower and Amelia Earhart.

Due to the passage of the resolution and successful fundraising by the Eisenhower Foundation, President Eisenhower now represents all Kansans in the National Statuary Hall. However, Amelia has not yet found her way to Washington DC. SCR 1617 left fundraising efforts for Amelia up to the City of Atchison and the Atchison Chamber of Commerce. However, it does go on to state that if these local entities are unable to generate the income, that the Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing would “ultimately” be charged with the task.

The importance of placing Amelia in our Nation’s Capitol is not only one of a commitment by the State of Kansas to its citizens solidified by law, but is also of great significance to the women of the nation. Currently, only 9 women are represented among the 100 statues in the National Statuary Hall. This sends a message of discrimination and undervalues the great accomplishments and contributions that women have made toward the building of our great nation. Your assistance and follow through toward moving Amelia Earhart to her rightful place in Washington would be greatly appreciated by women everywhere.

Please let me know how Kansas NOW can assist you in this highly significant and worthwhile endeavor.

For Equality,

Kari Ann Rinker
State Coordinator for Kansas NOW