Sojourner Truth Legacy Plaza and Statue opens to public
DOWNTOWN AKRON — Hundreds gathered on downtown Akron’s North High Street to witness the opening and dedication of the newly completed Sojourner Truth Legacy Plaza May 29, followed by the public unveiling of a statue of Sojourner Truth sculpted by Akron artist Woodrow Nash.
The Sojourner Truth Legacy Plaza was conceived by the Summit Suffrage Centennial Committee — convened by Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro in 2018 with the goal of identifying a single project to commemorate the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in 2020.
Truth, a staunch advocate for abolition, civil rights and women’s suffrage, gave her most famous speech — known as “Ain’t I a Woman?” — in Akron before the Ohio Women’s Rights Convention on May 29, 1851.
The dedication of the plaza and statue took place on the 173rd anniversary of Truth’s speech, and the new landmark is located at United Way of Summit and Medina’s offices at 37 N. High St., adjacent to the site of the Old Stone Church where Truth gave her historic speech.
The local United Way was the project’s largest funder — contributing a portion of its property for the plaza as well as more than $1 million toward completion. Additional funding came from other local and national organizations and individual donors from across the U.S. A full list of sponsors is available at uwsummitmedina.org/sojourner-truth-legacy-plaza-sponsors.
“We are incredibly grateful to the many, many people who worked countless hours to make this — Akron’s newest landmark — a reality,” said Jim Mullen, president and CEO of United Way of Summit and Medina. “Sojourner Truth, through her courage and the power of her voice, made a mark on history. It is our responsibility to ensure that her message is not just remembered, but honored through action, as we work to build a future that delivers to all the justice and dignity she fought for.”
The Plaza was designed by landscape architect Dion Harris of Summit Metro Parks, with construction management done by The Ruhlin Co. The space includes four pillars: one carved with the word “Activism,” another with “Power,” the third with “Identity” and the last with “Faith.” At its center features Nash’s life-sized sculpture of Sojourner Truth.
“The finalization of the Sojourner Truth Project is long overdue for our community,” said Nash. “I am honored that the past and current Truth committees selected me as the sculptor to create the Sojourner Truth statue, after decades of efforts to bring this to fruition. Installations like the Sojourner Truth Legacy Plaza and John Brown monuments not only honor significant historical figures who led change to better our world but also serve as educational tools that inspire reflection and learning among community members and future tourists alike.”
The Plaza also features a mural by local artist Derin Fletcher, inspired by a famous 1864 photograph of Truth. Fletcher’s mural occupies the southeast wall of the Plaza, alongside a metal sculpture of an impala lily designed by another local artist, Alexandria Couch. The impala lily is the national flower of Ghana, the country of Truth’s paternal ancestors.
Speakers at the event included Shapiro, Mullen and Nash, as well as Towanda Mullins, chair of the Sojourner Truth Project Committee; U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-District 13); Akron Mayor Shammas Malik; State Rep. Veronica Sims (D-District 33); Brent Leggs, executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund; Cory McLiechey, a fifth-generation descendant of Truth; Rosemary Dufie, a visitor from Ghana; and Keith Dambrot, son of the late Faye Hersh Dambrot, who was co-founder of the Women’s History Project of the Akron Area, the Women’s Network, the Women’s History Project, and the Rape Crisis Center, and who first conceived the idea of funding a statue in honor of Truth.
McLiechey gave Dambrot and Mullins letterman jackets decorated with the phrase, “Descendants of the Truth.”
“The Sojourner Truth Legacy Plaza will serve as a transformative space, fostering a deeper understanding of Truth’s lifework and empowering future generations toward a more equitable society,” said Mullins.
During the ceremony, Mullins presented the inaugural Sojourner Truth Legacy Scholarship, a $5,000 award, to Buchtel Community Learning Center senior Demetrion Duvall.
The dedication and unveiling were followed by a community celebration on North High Street, which was closed to traffic for the event. Attendees enjoyed live music, a reenactment of Truth’s speech by Hazel Malone, food trucks, free screenings at The Nightlight Cinema and more.
The plaza is open to the public seven days a week from dawn to dusk. To learn more, visit www.truthstatue.org.
By: Emily Scharf and Abby Cymerman
Source: Akron.com