Statue honoring Fannie Lou Hamer to be unveiled Friday in Ruleville

Civil Rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer

From The Mississippi Link Newswire

Civil Rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer

RULEVILLE – The Fannie Lou Hamer Statue Committee and Hanlon Sculpture Studio plans to unveil a statue of Civil Rights Leader and Human Rights Advocate Fannie Lou Hamer on Oct. 5, 2012 at the Fannie Lou Hamer Memorial Garden in Ruleville.

Dr. Patricia Reid-Merritt, Distinguished Professor of Social Work and Africana Studies at the Richard Stockton College of NJ and Chair of the National Committee expressed her appreciation to committee members and Hanlon Sculpture Studio for their commitment and dedication to the completion of the project.

“This has been a very long and arduous journey. All of us were committed to doing whatever was needed to ensure the success of this project,” stated Reid-Merritt. “We wanted to uplift the Hamer legacy. A very small group of scholars and community activists from across the nation worked on this project for the past two years. It’s amazing to witness what a small group of dedicated individuals can do. We are overwhelmed and ecstatic to see that this monument to Mrs. Hamer is nearing completion and thankful to all who helped make it possible.”

The eight-foot tall bronze statue is being created by nationally-acclaimed sculptor Brian Hanlon and will be mounted on a four foot tall granite base containing etched pictures and text of Hamer’s life.

“I have a great interest in creating sculptures of pioneers and leaders in their respective fields, and this statue honoring the life of Fannie Lou Hamer is well deserved and long overdue. It is my hope that this monument will educate and inspire for generations to come.”

A national fund-raising drive by the statue committee is nearing completion to cover the costs of the monument and surrounding area since it began on Feb. 1, 2010. The ROAR Foundation Inc. had organized the statue committee in October 2009. The fiscal sponsor for the project is the National Black United Fund.

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