PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A permanent Harriet Tubman statue in Philadelphia is becoming a little more concrete, as the city has officially chosen an artist and sculpture they want to represent the abolitionist and freedom fighter.
“When I got the call that said I was selected, I didn’t have the words at that moment because this is a dream come true,” said Alvin Pettit, the artist whose nearly 10-foot-tall sculpture of Tubman will soon take its place on the Northeast apron of City Hall.
Pettit, an artist based out of Jersey City, says he wants this sculpture entitled “A Higher Power: The Call of a Freedom Fighter” to show a side of Tubman many do not know.
“You can see her hands that appear to be, from a distance, in a praying position … or as you get up closer, you can see that she’s actually in a clutched fist position,” Pettit explained. “So it kind of shows her as a hawk and dove.”
Deanetta Green Johnson is a great cousin of Harriet Tubman and one of the people on the selection committee. She was thrilled about the announcement and what it means for future generations.
“I love what’s going to come out of this, as far as the educational piece and the engagement of all people.”
Last year, the city selected Wesley Wofford, a white sculptor from North Carolina, to design a temporary statue of Tubman for outside City Hall. This decision was quickly met with pushback — specifically, from local Black artists who felt the move was unfair.
The city then resigned its offer to Wofford and sent out a survey to the public asking for their input on what the statue should look like, as well as how to make it unique to Philly.
Over the summer, the public had the chance to rank and comment on the work of four semi-finalists, including Pettit, before being reviewed and considered by the advisory committee.
Pettit’s creation will be the first statue of a Black female historical figure in the city’s public art collection. It is expected to be on display in 2025.
Pettit hopes it will bring peace and a sense of harmony to people as they pass it.