Statues are to be of Lucy Brown and Frances Perkins: A gift of art to honor women in Ithaca

The statues honoring two iconic local women, Frances Perkins and co-founder of INHS Lucy J. Brown, were installed in the City of Ithaca on August 16, 2024, and celebrated with an unveiling on August 17 with the sculptor Meredith Bergmann, public dignitaries, local community organizations, family and friends of both Frances Perkins and Lucy J. Brown, and even Miss Lucy herself! Both women pioneered to bring about change and empowered women’s rights and social justice movements locally and nationally.

View the comprehensive commemorative booklet here.

Press release can be found here.

Visit Frances Perkins and Lucy J. Brown

Statue of Frances Perkins with her grandson, Tomlin Coggeshall

Frances Perkins’ statue is located at the corner of W Seneca Street and Cayuga Street, near Breckenridge Place Apartments (100 W Seneca Street, Ithaca) while Lucy J. Brown is located at the corner of West Clinton Street and South Geneva

Street, in front of Henry St. John School (301 S Geneva Street, Ithaca), guided by a procession celebrating local change-making women throughout history.

The statues are a part of the global Talking Statue network created by Copenhagen-based David Peter Fox. The Talking Status mobile device app allows visitors to listen to a narration about Brown and Perkins via a QR code located next to each statue or at nyts.de/fp (for Perkins) and nyts.de/lb (for Brown). The Lucy Brown narration was written and is being voiced by Miss Brown herself, which may make it unique among the scores of Talking Statues across the globe.

Interesting fact: only 9% of public statues in America represent women, and only 1% represent women of color. 

Lucy Brown with her granddaughter and statue

About the Statues

Each woman is seated on a bench, consisting of life-sized bronze figures. Frances Perkins is located on North Cayuga Street in front of Breckenridge Place and Lucy Brown at the corner of the historic Henry St. John building (S. Geneva and W Clinton Streets). The statues commemorate each woman’s passion for social justice and the actions they took to pave the way for future generations. Sponsored by a local anonymous donor, the works of art are a gift to the people of Ithaca. INHS will host and care for the statues at its two downtown communities.

The artist, world-renowned sculptor Meredith Bergmann, depicts the women’s determination, with Frances Perkins holding a list highlighting the programs she took to President Roosevelt, while Lucy Brown is with her pencil and pad on which she wrote reminders to herself of things that needed to be done. Through participation in the global Talking Statues network, a QR code at each site links to an audio narration sharing the women’s stories and highlighting their historic achievements.

Lucy’s Impact

Lucy Brown dedicated her life to advancing racial justice, educational equity, and affordable housing. As a co-founder of INHS, Lucy Brown was instrumental in the nonprofit’s long-term growth and commitment to affordable housing, especially in Ithaca’s  Southside neighborhood. She was a longtime board member of INHS and served on the Ithaca City School Board, the Board of Public Works, and Urban Renewal Agency as a strong advocate for neighborhood residents, ensuring that resident issues are central in all decision-making.

About the Sculptor

Sculptor Meredith Bergmann’s impressive portfolio includes the Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument in New York’s Central Park, the Boston Women’s Memorial,  and the FDR Hope Memorial on Roosevelt Island.  Bergmann works “for social justice and historical redress through my public art.” Read her full biography and work here: meredithbergmann.com.

This project was made possible through a collaborative effort between Southside Community Center, Greater Ithaca Activities Center, INHS, and was guided by a steering committee composed of the following local volunteers:

• Carol Kammen, retired County Historian
• Constance Graham, retired educator
• Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Executive Director Greater Ithaca Activities Center
• George Boyer, professor of economics, Cornell University
• Joe Mareane, retired County Administrator
• Johanna Anderson, Executive Director, Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services and her successor, Kate de la Garza

Photos, Event Graphics and Videos by Shira Evergreen, Uplifted Ithaca