New York! Put a Woman in Statuary Hall!
New York is currently represented in Statuary Hall by George Clinton (1739-1812) and Robert Livingston (1746-1813). Clinton was the first governor of New York State, while Livingston, whose statue is shown at right, was its first chancellor.
We think New York is due for an update.
The past two centuries have produced numerous outstanding women from New York, any one of whom would be a great addition to Statuary Hall:
- Sojourner Truth (1797-1883): Abolitionist and suffragist.
- Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902): Suffragist and leader of the women’s rights movement.
- Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906): Suffragist and leader of the women’s rights movement.
- Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910): The first woman doctor in the modern world.
- Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Jane Cochran, 1864-1922): Newspaper reporter who pioneered investigative journalism.
- Margaret Sanger (1879–1966): Birth control advocate and women’s health pioneer.
- Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962): First Lady and one of the greatest humanitarians in history.
- Martha Graham (1894-1991): The foremost innovator in modern dance and one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
- Margaret Bourke-White (1904-1971): The first woman photojournalist.
- Bella Abzug (1920-1998): Congresswoman, activist, and feminist.
- Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005): Congresswoman, feminist, and the first African-American woman to run for president.
Our New York Statue Project is just now getting underway. If you’d like to be involved, please email us at newyorkstatue@equalvisibilityeverywhere.org. We need volunteer researchers, letter writers, interns, and helpers of every description. Watch this space for updates as the project takes shape.
In the meantime, leave a comment to let us know who you think should represent New York!