City of Cincinnati unveils statue of Marian Spencer

Well today marked a moment in history for our Queen City. On the eve of what would have been her 101st birthday, a statue was dedicated on the riverfront to the late civil rights icon and former vice Mayor Marion spencer. And despite the heat, hundreds came out to celebrate. She got a lot done in her lifetime. One of her friends told me she had an unwavering and unapologetic spirit to fight for equality and justice with grace, dignity and yes, a smile. One 23 Mhm. Mhm. Yeah, it was fitting that folks gathered on the banks of the Ohio river, a gateway to freedom for men and women who sought refuge from slavery to honor the granddaughter of a slave. I got to know like you, I got to know Shuttlesworth Nate jones Marion spencer. And they have the first statue of a woman be a black woman who was a grand, a child of an enslaved person. History is not that long ago and she gives us hope for the future. Today. The Queen City thanked a woman of many. First Marian alexander Spencer, the first african american woman elected to city council and she became the city's vice mayor, the first female president of the NaACP and so much more she fought to integrate Coney Island and was a leading voice to break down barriers in Cincinnati public schools. Where does this courage come from? Where did my mother's courage come from? That kept her fighting and to encourage others to keep on fighting. This statue is lifestyles with mrs spencer surrounded by Children. Her niece and local kids were the models, nationally known artist Tom Sirchia along with assistant Gina Girardi were commissioned to design the statue of mrs Spencer. Tsuchiya is best known for his statues outside great american ballpark Gina and I decided to depict Marion greeting two Children who represents her civil rights victories and her continuing legacy of activism, which helped make Cincinnati a better place for Children in a better place for future generations. And the statue will serve as a symbol to do what's right and to do what's good and fair and keep on fighting to make the city and nation great. Emmanuel brockman is happy to be part of the Spencer legacy. That's my great grandmother, mary Spencer and I'm just very, very proud moment right now. Very, very proud moment. It was a problem moment for all of us who knew mrs Spencer. This was a grassroots effort to raise money to pay for that statute, no corporate or public money was used and by the way, any money left over will be used for a scholarship in her name. Congratulations to the Woman's City Club that really commissioned this statue and members of the committee that made this day happen. Mhm Right
COMING UP IN A LITTLE BIT. COURTIS: TODAY MARKED A MOMENT IN HISTORY FOR OUR QUEEN CITY. ON THE EVE OF WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HER 101ST BIRTHDAY, I STATUE WAS DEDICEDAT ON THE RIVERFRONT. DESPITE THE HEAT, HUNDREDS CAME OUT TO CELEBRATE. SHEOT G A LOT DONE IN HER LIFETIME. ESH HAD AN UNWAVERING AND UNAPOLOGETIC SPIRIT TO FIGHT FOR EQUALITY AND JUSCETI WITH GRACE, DIGNITY AND A SMILE. >> 1,2,3 . >> IT WAS FITTING TTHA PEOPLE GATHERED ON THE BANKS OF THE OHIO RIVER. A GATEWAY TO FREOMED FOR MEN AND WOMEN WHO SOUGHT REFUGE FROM SLAVYER. >> I GOT TO KNOW NATE JONES, MARIAN SPENCER. TO HAVE THE FIRST THAT YOU TO BE A BLACK WOMAN WHO WAS THE GRANDCHILD OF AN ENSLAVED PERSON, THE HISTORY IS NOT THAT LOGONG A AND SHE GIVES US HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. >> TODAY, THE QUEEN CITY THINK A WOMAN OF MANY FIRST. MARIAN ALEXANDER SPENCER. SHE FOUGHTO T INTEGRATE CONEY ISLAND AND WAS A LEADING VOICE TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS IN CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOLS. >> WHERE DOES THIS COURAGE CEOM FROM? WHERE DIMYD MOTHER’S COURAGE COME FROM THAT KEPT HER FIGHTING AND TONC EOURAGE OTHERS TO KEEP ON FIGHTING? >> THIS STATUE IS LIFE-SIZED WITHR. M SPENCER SURROUNDED BY CHILENDR- -HER CHILDREN, HER NIECE AND OTHERS. NATIONALLY KNOWN ARTIST, TOM TSUCHIYA ALONG WITH ASSISTANT GINA ERAI RDWERE COMMISSIONED TO DESIGN THE STATUE OF MRS. SPENCER. TSUCHIYA IS BEST KNOWN FOR HIS STATUES OUTSIDE GREAT AMERICAN BALLPARK. >> GINA DAN I DECIDED TO DEPICT MAANRI GRIEVING TWO CHILDN.RE HER ACTIVISM HELP TO MAKE CINCINNATI A BETTER PLACE FOR CHILDREN AND PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT GENERATIONS -- IN THE COMING GENERATIONS. >> THIS ISY M GREAT GRANDMOTHER, MARY SPENCER. A VERY PUDRO MOMENT RIGHT NOW. >> IT WAS A PROUD MOMENT FOR ALL OF US WHO KNEW MRS. SPENCER. NO CORPORATE OR PUBLIC MONEY WAS USED. ANY MONEY LEFT OVER WILL BE USED FOR A SCHOLARSHIP IN HER NAME. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WOMEN’S

City of Cincinnati unveils statue of Marian Spencer

Updated: 11:45 PM EDT Jun 27, 2021

The city of Cincinnati unveiled a statue of Marian Spencer, who stood up for equality and justice. The statue dedication was held Sunday, June 27, which is one day before what would have been Marian's 101st birthday.The statue honoring this civil rights icon sits in Smale Riverfront Park near the Freedom Center. The Woman's City Club commissioned the statue and sculptors Tom Tsuchiya and Gina Erardi designed it. Tsuchiya is best known for sculpting the statues of Reds players at Great American Ball Park and the plaques for the National Baseball Hall of Fame."Marian deserves this honor as she was an extraordinary woman of grace and dignity who dedicated her life to standing up for equality, justice, and her belief that each of us has the ability – and responsibility – to make the world a better place," according to Alice Schneider, chair of Marian A. Spencer Statue Committee.

CINCINNATI —

The city of Cincinnati unveiled a statue of Marian Spencer, who stood up for equality and justice.

The statue dedication was held Sunday, June 27, which is one day before what would have been Marian's 101st birthday.

The statue honoring this civil rights icon sits in Smale Riverfront Park near the Freedom Center.

The Woman's City Club commissioned the statue and sculptors Tom Tsuchiya and Gina Erardi designed it. Tsuchiya is best known for sculpting the statues of Reds players at Great American Ball Park and the plaques for the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

"Marian deserves this honor as she was an extraordinary woman of grace and dignity who dedicated her life to standing up for equality, justice, and her belief that each of us has the ability – and responsibility – to make the world a better place," according to Alice Schneider, chair of Marian A. Spencer Statue Committee.