Pam

“250th Anniversary: Fighting For the Unfinished Revolution As the 250th Anniversary of the 1776 American Revolution for Democracy approaches on July 4th, we should ask ourselves what kind of celebration would actually be appropriate. No celebration of democracy should include the garish and self-congratulatory pay to play parties and projects the current President has in mind. Nor should the many attempts by the current President to erase the real history of this Nation and the many contributions of women and people of color be allowed to limit who belongs in the historical record. A real celebration of America's Democracy would include the realization that the American Revolution is still unfinished. A true celebration of this Nation's past would include the present-day recognition that we must re-dedicate ourselves to fighting for the Unfinished Revolution for equality and justice for all. The question then becomes, How Do We Do That? As I said last August 26th at our 5th Anniversary celebration of the 2020 unveiling of our Women's Rights Pioneers Monument: "All of us who believe in Democracy are now confronted with many battles on many fronts as this sweeping wave of Autocracy washes over us. But let us not forget that History also exists to remind us that such battles can be won if we fight back in ways both large and small. Being here today to honor the women who have come before us is a way of fighting back. Being here today to state publicly that we refuse to let the current President take history hostage in a battle for Liberty, Justice, and Equality in this Nation is a way of fighting back. Monumental Women's ongoing effort to honor the diverse women who have come before us is a way of fighting back." In 2026, Monumental Women continues our fight for the Unfinished Revolution by focusing on three major goals described in the articles below: Monumental Women is pleased to announce that we have raised the necessary funds to start Phase One of our Augusta Savage Initiative which will focus on the creation of a Request for Proposals and Statue Site Selection; Monumental Women is presently expanding our website's New York City Women's Rights History Trail to include 250 locations where women made history in the five Boroughs of our City; and Monumental Women is working to create an augmented reality monument in Brooklyn honoring founder Sarah Garnet and the members of the Equal Suffrage League of the National Association of Colored Women. Thank you all for your work for women and we hope you will join us in these or any of our ongoing programs and projects. AUGUSTA SAVAGE INITIATIVE BEGINS: PHASE 1 Monumental Women’s Augusta Savage Initiative is more important now than ever before. As certain elements in our government seek to erase women and other groups previously marginalized in our history, We have redoubled our efforts to bring the important stories and accomplishments of people like the Harlem Renaissance African American sculptor Augusta Savage to light. We are excited to announce we have reached our fundraising goal for Phase 1 of our Augusta Savage Initiative. Now we invite individuals and organizations to lend their names in support of the Initiative. Sign up to participate in the site selection process and development of the Request for Proposals as we move forward in developing the public art honoring Savage. Have a voice in the process of creating the next piece of public art in New York City to honor a real woman. WOMEN'S RIGHTS HISTORY TRAIL Our Women's Rights History Trail proves that Women's History is all around us! Explore our map celebrating New York City women who have made contributions to expanding the rights of and opportunities for all women. MONUMENTAL WOMEN AND KINFOLK TECH PARTNER TO BRING SARAH GARNET TO LIFE We are excited to announce an impending partnership with the innovative Kinfolk Tech. Kinfolk Tech is a nonprofit that uses immersive technology, as well as public art, and community-led design to help communities celebrate people whose amazing accomplishments have been overlooked or marginalized. They share our goal of identifying and preserving important histories for future generations. The goal of the new partnership is to bring the story of Sarah Jane Smith Tompkins Garnet to the site of the Equal Suffrage League at 405 Carlton Avenue in Brooklyn using augmented reality. While the importance of this site is currently marked with a National Votes for Women Marker, the marker describes the role of Dr. Verina Morton-Jones, who was the president when the League moved to this location. Sarah Garnet and her sister, Dr. Susan Smith McKinney Steward, actually started the Colored Women’s Equal Suffrage League of Brooklyn in Sarah’s seamstress shop in the late 1880s. It moved to the Carlton Avenue location – then the site of the Y.M.C.A .– when it outgrew its initial location. Sarah’s seamstress work was in addition to her position as the first black woman principal in New York City. Dr. Susan Smith McKinney Steward was the first black female physician to practice medicine in New York State. Garnet went on to serve as the head of the special suffrage division of the National Association of Colored Women. Stay tuned for more information as Monumental Women and Kinfolk use the wonders of technology to shine a light on the multitude of Sarah’s accomplishments. Congratulations to our friends at the New York State Museum on the new exhibition, Revolutionary New York, and thanks for including our Women's Rights Pioneers Monument in your exhibit! Revolutionary New York Opens at the New York State Museum on July 1, 2026. 222 Madison Ave., Albany, NY Marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, this exhibition places New York at the center of our nation’s founding story and its continued evolution. The American War for Independence raged from 1775 to 1783, but the ideas of American Revolution did not end there. From the Battles of Saratoga to the birth of the Women’s Suffrage Movement at Seneca Falls to the Stonewall Uprising in 1969, New York has remained at the heart of this continuing Revolution. Through artifacts, multimedia storytelling, and voices from across the state, New York’s defining role in the Revolution and the difficult choices New Yorkers made are illuminated. The American experiment is built on shared ideals—liberty, equality, justice, and democracy. Though imperfect and often marked by struggle, it endures through civic action, protest, and reform. This exhibition honors the New Yorkers who launched the great American experiment in 1776—and the bold leaders who, through social revolutions, have fought to make its promises real.”