Philadelphia announces artist chosen to sculpt statue of civil rights icon

(WPHL) — Philadelphia announced the artist selected for a new sculpture of Philadelphia civil rights activist Sadie T.M. Alexander last week. 

The winner of the design contest is artist Vinnie Bagwell, a sculptor from New York. The statue will be installed at Thomas Paine Plaza near the Municipal Services Building. 

Bagwell’s design is titled “Philadelphia’s First Lady of the Law, Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander.” A written description and photos of Bagwell’s design are available online.

“My concept emphasizes that the rule of law must be actively interpreted and applied in service of justice, reflecting Sadie T.M. Alexander’s legacy as a pioneer for civil rights and legal reform in Philadelphia and the nation,” Bagwell wrote in the description. 

The design depicts Alexander wearing her graduation robes over a dress as a nod to her trailblazing in education. The faces of civil rights leaders and Alexander’s friends and family who influenced her perspectives will be etched into the robes. 

The statue will also show Alexander reading a book of the U.S. Constitution. The book will be open to the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause to represent her work in law and advocacy. 

Alexander was born in Philadelphia in 1898. She was the first African American to get a Ph.D. in economics and the first Black woman to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. 

Alexander was a founding member of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations. She was also the first Black woman to serve as assistant city solicitor for Philadelphia. 

A press release from Creative Philadelphia said public participation was among the influences in the decision. Bagwell scored highest out of all the finalists on a public survey with over 1,000 participants. The survey measured criteria such as artistic excellence and emotional quality. 

Other finalists included Tanda Francis, Rayvenn Shaleigha D’Clark, Alvin Pettit, and an artist team composed of David Wilson, Stephen Hayes, and Acori Honzo. 

Dr. Rae Alexander-Minter, Alexander’s granddaughter and a member of the selection committee, praised Bagwell’s proposal in the press release. 

“Ms. Bagwell’s design captured the essence of my mother’s being: her spirit, grace, humanity, intellect, and commitment to justice and equity for all who came before her, many of whom were marginalized because of their race, gender, economic and educational circumstances,” Alexander-Minter said.