A new statue of President Abraham Lincoln was installed in front of the African American Civil War Museum on Sept. 5. Sculpted by Stan Watts, the bronze artwork depicts Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation and will be formally unveiled Monday, Sept. 22. The dedication ceremony is expected to include guest speakers, live music and Civil War re-enactors. This date marks the anniversary of the preliminary proclamation issued in 1862.
The Lincoln statue is a new feature for the museum, located in the historic Grimké School, which is undergoing an extensive multiyear renovation. The dedication event on Sept. 22 will serve as a prelude to the museum’s grand reopening, now scheduled for Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
The statue’s placement symbolically connects Lincoln’s act of freeing slaves with the heroism of the United States Colored Troops, whose courage and sacrifice are honored by the museum and the adjacent Spirit of Freedom monument. The monument was unveiled in 1998. It pays tribute to the 209,145 USCT soldiers and sailors.
The seated President Abraham Lincoln is shown signing the key document that declared freedom for enslaved people in Confederate states. The story of Lincoln’s critical role in freeing enslaved people during the Civil War symbolizes the connection between his legacy and the Spirit of Freedom, a national monument maintained by the National Park Service. This monument has stood as a testament to the history of these soldiers for 27 years, with millions of visitors coming to take tours from around the world, but now the museum is being expanded.
The Spirit of Freedom Monument is located adjacent to the museum, just a few feet away, across the street. The monument to the USCT was graced by the presence of its sculptor, along with a delegation of elected officials, friends and family of Ed Hamilton, all from his home of Louisville, Kentucky. It was unveiled in front of 30,000 people and was seen around the world. A first-class museum now on the entire first floor of Grimké School will include this new statue of Abraham Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation, which will welcome all visitors and guests to see this history for themselves.
The dedication event will mark the beginning of the museum’s grand reopening after a multiyear renovation, which is scheduled for later in the fall.
The statue’s placement links Lincoln’s significant act of freeing slaves with the courage and sacrifice of the African American soldiers who fought for their liberation and the Union. This decree famously gave seceded states an ultimatum and paved the way for the USCT to officially join the Union Army, a central focus of the museum. The inclusion of Lincoln’s act with the USCT memorial solidifies the link between the Emancipation Proclamation and the sacrifices of the African American soldiers who helped secure freedom.
Allow me to share a bit of history about the African American Civil War Museum. The museum has been undergoing a significant rebuilding and expansion project and will move to a larger location in the same neighborhood, and plans are underway for an exciting reopening and ribbon-cutting ceremony that will be held on Nov. 11 (Veterans Day).
The public is invited to attend both events. Mark your calendar and come out and join former D.C. Councilman Frank Smith Jr. and the board of directors and staff of the African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation. I’m proud of my legacy of having served as the project director for the Spirit of Freedom monument. It feels almost like it was yesterday, but that was in 1998, more than 27 years ago, on July 18 when the District of Columbia had been experiencing a heat wave of over 100-degree weather for several days. That was a wonderful, but hot summer day!
Come on out Monday, Sept. 22 for the dedication ceremony of the Lincoln statue!
Lyndia Grant is a speaker/writer living in the D.C. area. Her radio show, “Think on These Things,” airs Fridays at 6 p.m. on 1340 AM (WYCB), a Radio One station. To reach Grant, go to her website, www.lyndiagrant.com, email lyndiagrantshowdc@gmail.com or call 240-602-6295. Follow her on X @LyndiaGrant and on Facebook.