Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Three iconic American women will be memorialized with the first statue to honor women in New York City's Central Park, after city officials approved the marker.
The city commission signed off Monday on the bronze statue that will feature Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Sojourner Truth. All three were pioneers -- Anthony and Stanton in the women's suffrage movement and Truth in the fight against slavery. The statue will depict all three women in discussion at a table.
"This statue conveys the power of women working together to bring about revolutionary change in our society," Monumental Women President Pam Elam said.
The memorial will be dedicated in August to mark the 100th anniversary of American women receiving the right to vote. It will be located on the park promenade at The Mall in Central Park.
Artist Meredith Bergmann designed the statue, beating out nearly 100 other entries.
"My hope is that all people, but especially young people, will be inspired by this image of women of different races, different religious backgrounds and different economic status working together to change the world," Bergmann said.
There was resistance to adding another statue to the mall area in Central Park, which already features statues of Christopher Columbus, Alexander Hamilton, William Shakespeare and Sir Walter Scott.
Originally, the statue depicted only Anthony and Stanton, and outcry over Truth's omission led to a redesign.
The wife of New York City Mayor Bill deBlasio pushed for a statue to honor Mother Francis Cabrini, the first American to achieve sainthood. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced plans for a Cabrini statue in another location.
