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From YouTube: Restoration Launch of Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial
Description
The sun shined brightly on Boston Common with the announcement of a major restoration to the historic Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial monument.
Ryan Woods, Commissioner of Boston Parks and Recreation,
Rose Fennell, Deputy Superintendent of National Park Service,
Marita Rivero, President & CEO, Museum of African American History, and many others, gathered together to celebrate the next stage of this significant project.
A
A
Welcome
all
to
today's
program.
Yes,
you
may
be
seated
the
showoff
54th,
restoring
the
memorial
and
the
dialogue
on
race.
My
name
is
Liz
Visa
and
I'm
executive
director
of
the
Friends
of
the
public
garden
since
1970,
we
have
worked
with
the
city
to
renew
to
care
and
to
advocate
for
the
Boston
Common,
where
we
are
the
public
garden
and
Commonwealth
Avenue
Mall.
We
are
joined
today
by
our
partners
in
this
restoration
initiative,
the
National
Park
Service,
the
Museum
of
african-american
history
and
the
City
of
Boston.
A
The
mayor
was
called
to
a
somber
occasion
this
morning
giving
the
eulogy
for
Bill
McGonagall,
who
retired
very
recently
as
head
of
the
Boston
Housing
Authority
after
40
year,
tenure
there
and
died
very
sadly,
but
we
are
thankful
for
Donnie
Taveras,
who
is
the
boss's
chief
diversity
officer
who
is
serving
in
the
mayor's
dead?
Today,
if
there
are
any
honorary
committee
members
joining
us
today,
would
you
please
raise
your
hands.
A
A
We
also
have
a
number
of
elected
officials
which
is
wonderful
to
have
you
here.
State
representative,
J,
Livingstone,
state
representatives,
Liz
Miranda
senator,
will
Browns
burger
city
councillor
Josh,
Zakim
and
city
councilor,
Tim
McCarthy.
Thank
you
so
much
for
your
presence,
Russell
Holmes.
Thank
you
so
much
state
representative,
Russell
Holmes,
thank
you
and
I
want
to
give
a
special
thank
you
to
Steve
and
Sheryl
Jonas,
our
supporters,
without
whom
we
would
not
be
here
today.
So
thank
you
for
that.
A
Thank
you
all
so
much
for
joining
us.
Since
1897
the
Shaw
54th
Memorial
has
borne
witness
to
our
city's
Civic
and
political
landscape
standing
across
from
the
Statehouse
at
an
entrance
to
the
people's
Park.
It
serves
as
a
reminder
of
the
importance
of
speaking
truth
to
power
of
understanding
our
roots
and
of
the
impact
that
we
citizens
can
have
on
a
nation,
but
like
water,
on
stone.
The
waves
of
change
are
bound
to
cause
some
cracks
in
the
foundation,
despite
regular
care
by
the
friends
ever
since
we
restored
this
Monument
in
1981.
A
Water
has
penetrated
into
the
core
and
deteriorated
the
foundation
leading
to
this
major
renewal
project
and
so
I'm
excited
to
announce
the
contractor.
Who
will
be
leading
this
restoration.
The
National
Park
Service
as
lead
restoration
partner
and
with
input
from
the
city
and
the
Friends
selected
Lewis,
see
a
LaGrone
II
incorporated
and
their
team,
a
bronze
conservators
at
skylight
studios
to
carefully
dismantle,
restore,
reconstruct
and
stabilize
the
memorial
a
respected
leader
in
the
field
of
Historic
Preservation,
says
1921.
They
will
be
celebrating
their
century
of
existence.
A
In
a
couple
of
years,
a
LaGrone
II
is
known
for
its
recent
work
on
the
Vanderbilt
mansion,
this
National
Historic
Site
in
Hyde,
Park,
New
York
and
the
beacon
cinema
in
Pittsfield
Massachusetts
the
six
month
long
reconstruction
of
the
Shaw
54th
will
begin
in
spring
of
2020
weather-dependent.
As
you
know,
this
weather
is
very
fickle.
A
So
when
it's
warm
enough,
we
will
start
allegory,
we'll
remove
the
bronze
and
all
the
stone
from
the
plaza
level
up,
install
a
new
waterproofing
under
the
plaza
conserve
the
bronze
and
construct
a
new
concrete
foundation
beneath
it,
as
well
as
inserting
a
stainless
steel
frame
between
the
bronze
and
the
marble
surround.
To
make
sure
this
is
going
to
stay
in
place
for
many
years
to
come.
This
project
could
not
come
at
a
more
important
time.
This
restoration
effort
coincides
with
the
solemn
year-long
commemoration
of
the
400th
anniversary
of
slavery
in
North
America.
A
We
hope
this
project
will
provoke
us
all
to
think
about
where
we
stand
on
the
issues
of
race,
freedom
and
justice
and
prepare
the
cracks
that
exist
in
our
public
dialog.
As
we
rebuild
this
foundation,
we
give
new
voice
to
the
promise
of
American
values
that
this
memorial
embodies,
and
now
it
is
my
pleasure
to
introduce
Marita
Rivero
president
and
CEO
of
the
Museum
of
African
American
history,
who
will
talk
about
the
significance
of
the
memorial
in
today's
civic
discussions.
B
We
are,
we
are
here
standing
where
many
groups
have
gathered
over
the
years
since
1987
organizations
nonprofit
profit,
military
units.
Individuals
came
here
when
they
felt
their
viewpoint
was
echoing
the
bravery
honor
to
country
and
high
principles
that
the
famous
Massachusetts
54th
Volunteer
Infantry
Regiment
stands
for
we're
better
together
than
here
at
this
magnificent
piece
of
public
art
that
represents
our
national
fight
for
all
to
have
in
alienable
rights
to
life,
liberty
and
the
pursuit
of
happiness.
B
The
best
of
our
public
monuments
have
a
strength
that
renews
itself
and
echoes
across
time.
Some
may
remember
when
we
in
Boston
celebrated
the
150th
anniversary
of
the
Civil
War's
and
General
Colin,
Powell
african-american,
said
here
as
he
has
before,
and
since
to
my
dying
day.
I
will
not
forget
that
I
became
chairman
of
the
Joint
Chiefs
of
Staff
because
of
the
men
of
the
54th
regiment.
I
stand
on
their
shoulders.
B
The
Ramon
ument
reminds
us
of
the
many
times
we
have
gathered
as
a
people
across
our
divides
to
work
toward
the
promise
of
our
democracy
and
its
Constitution,
and
this
year
of
the
woman,
I
will
note
women
who
were
active
in
this
historic
period.
We
commemorate
today,
including
Harriet,
Tubman
Colonel,
Robert,
Gould
Shaw
as
mother
Sarah,
Blake,
Sturgis
Shaw,
an
abolitionist
black
educator,
Charlotte
forten
nurse
Susie,
King,
Taylor
and
others.
B
We
can
read,
hear
and
see
in
this
morning's
news.
The
report
of
the
disparity
in
the
hiring
of
women,
72%
of
gold
for
white
women
and
lo
50
percentages
for
black
women.
Knowing
our
full
history
helps
us
begin
to
see
women
differently
to
expand.
Our
idea
of
American
history
consider
Harriet
Tubman,
freeing
herself
from
enslavement.
In
her
20s,
she
returned
to
bring
her
parents
to
freedom
as
well.
Trusting
herself
to
a
network
created
by
Quakers
freed,
blacks,
other
abolitionists,
using
her
wits.
B
B
She
met
them
and
famously
served
them
breakfast
soldier
spy
for
the
Union,
Army
suffragists
and
lifelong
Civic
activists
for
those
of
us
here
over
nineteen
years
of
age.
It
is
thought-provoking
to
realize
that
she
lived
into
the
20th
century
dying
in
2013
in
Auburn
New
York,
these
stories
of
courage
of
our
ability
to
work
across
our
differences,
a
race,
gender
class
ethnicity,
religion
to
achieve
great
value
for
our
society
and
ones
that
give
us
courage
to
engage
in
the
issues
of
our
own
age.
It
isn't
surprising
that
we
are
gathered
here
today.
B
This
monument
is
a
source
of
inspiration
and
strength
remains,
as
ever
a
platform,
a
public
invitation
to
discuss
the
issues
of
racial
equity,
human
rights.
It
encourages
us
to
engage
in
shaping
a
national
public
narrative
when
we
enlarge
together
by
expanding
our
understanding
of
the
contributions
all
of
us
have
made
to
American
history.
Let
us
use
this
moment
when
the
SHA
54th
is
in
the
spotlight
to
renew
our
efforts
to
be
part
of
a
larger
conversation
about
our
shared
future.
Thank
you.
A
Thank
you
Marita
and
now
I
would
like
to
introduce
Rose
Fennell
deputy
regional
director
of
the
Northeast
region
of
the
National
Park
Service,
to
talk
about
the
national
significance
of
the
memorial
and
I
wanted
to
say
how
grateful
we
are
for
the
National
Park
Service
for
the
significant
contribution
to
this
work.
Thank
you.
C
So
good
morning,
on
behalf
of
the
National
Park
Service,
I
would
like
to
say
how
honored
our
agency
is
to
contribute
to
this
significant
undertaking.
The
restoration
of
the
Shaw
54th
regiment
memorial,
the
National
Park
Service,
has
a
unique
relationship
with
the
memorial
we
serve
as
the
stewards
of
the
home
and
studio
of
the
artist
who
designed
the
memorial
Augustus
saint-gaudens
Saint
Gaudens
National
Historical
Park
in
cornish.
New
Hampshire
preserves
over
100
of
his
artworks.
We
also
serve
in
Boston
african-american
National
Historic
Site.
C
When
we
tell
the
stories
of
the
Black
Heritage
Trail,
which
starts
here
at
the
memorial
there,
we
weave
together
a
narrative
that
includes
remarkable
men
and
women
that
were
leaders
in
the
abolitionist
movement,
the
Underground
Railroad,
the
Civil
War
and
the
civil
rights
movement.
This
monument
captures
the
farewell
parade
of
the
54th
Massachusetts
Volunteer
Infantry
Regiment
and
as
I
was
looking
through
my
notes.
It's
the
word
volunteer.
These
men
were
not
conscripted
they
volunteered
as
they
left
Boston
in
May
of
1863.
C
On
that
day,
historian
and
activists,
William
Cooper
Nell,
deliberately
stood
near
the
site
of
the
Boston
Massacre,
where
Crispus
Attucks
fell
on
that
cold
cold
March
day
in
1770,
and
watched
the
soldiers
as
they
made
their
way
to
the
harbor,
seeing
over
a
thousand
black
men
and
arms
on
their
way
to
war.
He
wrote
that
the
free
the
happy
future
was
within
hailing
distance.
C
C
How
could
a
nation
steeped
in
slavery
profess
the
radical
notion
that
all
men
are
created,
equal
and
entitled
to
life,
liberty
and
the
pursuit
of
happiness?
The
54th
symbolized
the
renewal
and
the
continuation
of
the
promise
of
the
American
Revolution
and
work
to
see
it
fully
realized.
So,
while
the
founding
fathers
legitimized
the
institution
of
slavery
in
our
Constitution,
the
54th
and
those
that
found
common
cause
with
them
ensured
that
it
was
d
legitimized
when
dedicated
in
1897.
Just
a
year
after
after
Plessy
vs.
C
Ferguson
nationalized
the
racism
inherent
in
Jim
Crow
laws
and
his
racial
violence
ran
rapid
throughout
the
country.
This
monument
stood
as
an
outlier
and
as
a
powerful
beacon
of
the
promise
of
our
nation.
It
continues
to
serve
as
a
vital
commemorative
space
and
rallying
point
for
veterans
and
activists
alike,
from
the
anti
lynching
protest
of
the
early
20th
century
to
the
civil
rights
movements
in
the
60s
and
70s
to
last
month's
youth
climate
strike.
The
Shaw
Memorial
has
served
as
a
crucial
platform
in
our
ongoing
national
story.
C
D
A
E
Thank
you.
Everyone.
As
Liz
mentioned,
my
name
is
Ryan
woods
and
I
have
the
pleasure
of
serving
as
the
parks
Commissioner
for
the
city
of
Boston
I
want
to
officially
welcome
you
to
America's,
first
Park
on
behalf
of
the
city,
it's
our
honor
to
partner
with
the
National
Park
Service,
the
Friends
of
the
public
garden
and
the
museum
of
african-american
history.
On
this
much-needed
restoration,
Mayor
Walsh
has
dedicated
28
million
dollars
from
the
sale
of
the
Winthrop
Square
garage
to
the
improvement
of
Boston
Common.
E
E
Nowhere
is
this
mission
more
evident
than
in
our
current
development,
of
the
master
plan
for
Boston
Common,
working
with
the
Friends
of
the
public
garden
in
design,
consultants,
Weston
and
Sampson.
The
goal
of
the
master
plan
is
to
create
a
vision
that
will
serve
residents
and
visitors
alike,
while
protecting
the
common
for
decades
to
come.
This
18-month
master
plan
is
kicked
off
in
August
and
will
continue
through
2020,
as
Liz
also
mentioned.
Boston
Common
is
the
people's
Park.
It's
a
stork
place
for
events,
demonstrations,
rallies
monuments
and
memorials.
E
This
is
the
starting
point
of
the
Freedom
Trail
a
stop
along
the
Black
Heritage
Trail
in
a
daily
respite
for
many
residents
and
visitors,
currently
we're
actively
collecting
feedback
and
suggestions
on
what
works
on
the
common.
What's
your
most
in
least
favorite
parts
of
the
common
and
what
areas
really
need
improvement?
What
will
make
America's
first
Park,
more
welcoming
and
accessible
to
all?
E
We
look
forward
to
the
input
from
residents,
businesspeople,
institutions
and
Park
users
to
help
share
shape
this
master
plan,
as
we
map
out
the
future
of
this
historic
meeting
ground
in
the
heart
of
Boston.
Since
this
is
truly
a
park
for
all,
and
not
solely
the
downtown
community,
we've
had
street
teams
along
transit
routes
in
attending
Boston
neighborhood
events
to
directly
engage
with
residents.
E
I
encourage
you
all
to
visit
boston,
common
master
plan,
calm
to
take
the
online
survey
which
over
4,000
people
have
to
date
and
find
out
about
future
events
and
stay
engaged
to
the
process
or
intend
the
first
public
open
meeting
on
October
29th
at
Emerson.
College
is
Brodie
theater
we'd
love
to
have
you
there.
The
Shaw
54th
memorial
restoration
project
is
a
perfect
example
not
only
of
our
goals
for
the
master
plan,
but
for
the
cott.
E
What
the
common
stands
for
in
the
life
of
our
city,
a
gathering
place
that
honors
all
people
and
the
contributions
of
those
who
built
our
country,
no
matter
their
color
creed
or
background,
as
so
perfectly
exemplified
by
the
heroes
of
the
54th.
Thanks
for
joining
us
today
and
I,
look
forward
to
working
with
you
in
the
years
to
come
on
a
Boston
combat
as
welcoming
and
accessible
to
all.
A
F
F
Thank
you
to
Liz
and
Friends
of
the
public
garden
deputy
director
Rose
for
now
the
National
Park
Service,
Marisa
Rivero
and
the
Museum
of
african-american
history,
Commissioner,
Ryan
woods
and
your
team.
Thank
you
for
all
the
work
you've
done
and
thank
you
to
members
of
the
restoration
committee,
including
drew
Faust
sheriff
Tompkins
Liz
Walker
Henry,
Louis,
Gates,
Byron,
Russian
and
Karen
Holmes
Ward.
F
We're
grateful
for
the
partnerships
that
is
making
this
restoration
possible
today.
It
is
a
testament
to
the
passion
and
expertise
we
have
here
in
the
city
of
Boston
and
there's
also
a
testament
to
the
power
of
public
space
and
the
power
of
public
art,
as
the
mayor
is
mentioned
before
the
shot
that
the
fourth
regiment
is
one
of
the
greatest
memorials
we
have
here
in
America.
F
It
deserves
every
bit
of
the
resources
and
attentions
going
to
it,
and
it
keeps
alive
the
memory
and
spirits
of
those
who
shared
in
American
ideals,
black
Americans
in
Boston,
who
gave
their
lives
to
make
those
ideals
a
reality.
The
timing
could
not
be
better
to
bring
the
54th
regiment
and
the
cause
of
emancipation
back
into
the
hearts
of
our
city
and
our
country's
values.
This
memorial,
these
men
in
the
history,
mind
us
that
none
of
us
are
bystanders
the
issue
of
race
and
injustice
in
America.
F
We
are
all
profoundly
affected
by
it
and
doing
nothing
is
not
an
option.
That's
why
we
become
more
in
tune
with
conversations
around
this
city
and
race.
Our
office
of
diversity
has
moved
closer
to
make
our
work.
Our
city
workforce,
more
reflective
of
the
residents,
we
served,
we've
teamed
up
with
private
sector
employers
to
the
same
dis.
Last
week
last
week
in
Mattapan
we
had
a
career
fair.
We
were
joined
by
federal
state
and
local
partners
where
we
had
500
participants.
F
These
are
the
types
of
partnerships
we
need
to
invest
more
of
our
office
is
also
working
with
Laurie
Nelson
and
her
team
and
the
chief
resilience
of
resiliency
office
to
recognize
the
fact
that
we
need
more
equity
in
the
city
of
Boston,
because
we
know
a
divided
city
cannot
stand
we're
not
shying
away
from
these
hard
conversations
about
our
city
and
our
country's
history
and
our
current
inequalities,
we're
hosting
the
n-double-a-cp
summit
next
year,
the
first
time
in
40
years,
we're
installing
Boston's
first
major
memorial
to
dr.
Martin,
Luther,
King,
jr.
F
Dr.
King
and
Coretta
Scott
fell
in
love
in
our
city,
and
they
should
be
a
part
of
the
story
that
we
tell
it's
a
story
that
this
memorial
in
the
Museum
of
african-american
history
have
been
telling
for
a
long
time.
We
are
all
grateful
for
the
way
it
keeps
our
attention
focused
on
these
issues
of
injustice,
we're
going
to
miss
it
when
the
memorial
is
going
to
be
restored
that
following
years,
but
we
are
grateful
for
everyone.
Who's
had
a
hand
in
producing
these
exhibits
we're
about
to
in
Vail
here
today.
F
This
is
a
living
history
and
we
are
all
still
living
this
history
and
we
need
everyone
to
learn
how
these
and
those
who
came
before
us
move
this
in
the
right
direction,
so
that
we
can
continue
to
move
in
the
right
direction
today,
and
so
we
can
be
a
city
in
a
country.
True
to
our
ideals,
the
ideals
the
men
of
the
54th
regiment
gave
their
lives
for
the
ideas.
We
must
all
remain
committed
to.
Thank
you.
A
Thank
you
so
much
for
those
words
and
as
Donnie
suggested.
We
are
now
pleased
to
present
two
creative
interpretive
programs
that
will
support
and
amplify
the
story
behind
the
memorial
in
its
restoration.
So,
while
it's
away
from
us
for
those
six
months,
you
will
be
able
to
see
some
wonderful
images
in
its
place,
so
I'd
like
to
it
now
and
invite
my
partners
to
join
me
in
revealing
the
first
program,
which
is
museum,
quality,
interpretive
signage,
life-size,
signage,
designed
by
visual
dialogue.
A
A
This
is
a
beautiful
image
of
the
54th.
We
have
a
lot
of
images
of
individual
54th
members.
This
is
the
one
we
have
of
an
amazing
line
of
them
and
over
the
images
is
inscribed
a
quote
of
Frederick
Douglass.
This
signage
is
just
going
to
be
beautiful.
It's
going
to
talk
about
the
Civil
War,
the
54,
the
Emancipation
Proclamation,
the
54th,
the
creation
of
the
memorial
and
then
the
partnership
and
our
work
to
restore
this
monument.
So
stay
tuned
is
going
to
be
very
exciting
to
have
it
on
site.
A
So
our
next
program
is
an
augmented
reality
app
that
will
make
the
memorial
and
it's
stories
literally
come
alive
through
a
high-resolution
3d
image
of
the
memorial
and
holograms
of
our
narrator's
available
to
anybody
that
has
a
smartphone
or
a
tablet,
and
I
want
to
thank
the
narrator's.
Our
Carol
folt
author
Carol
folt,
professor
Ted
lambs
mark
pardon,
is
and
Emmett
Sykes
all
right.
A
Thank
you
for
lending
your
voices
and
your
selves
to
this
effort
and
I
want
to
thank
the
team
at
home
relay.
Where
are
you?
Thank
you
so
much
and
John
Craig
Freeman
from
Emerson
College.
They
did
a
fabulous
job,
creating
this
interactive
component
of
our
program.
So
what
you
do
is
you
go
to
the
App
Store
you
down
lay
the
hover
lay
app
and
you
select
the
SHA
54th
channel
to
begin
your
journey.
This
concludes
our
formal
program.
We
hope
you
take
the
opportunity
to
continue
this
dialogue
today
and
well
into
the
future.
A
I
want
to
thank
all
of
our
speakers.
It
was
really
wonderful
hearing
your
powerful
and
inspiring
voices.
National
Park,
Service
Rangers
will
now
lead
tours
of
the
Black
Heritage
Trail
for
anybody
who's
interested,
and
we
invite
you.
You
see
that
tent
over
here
with
National
Park,
Service
folks
and
the
hover
lay
team
and
Craig
Freeman
will
help
you
understand
about
the
virtual
reality
app
and
be
able
to
download
it
on
your
own,
very
own
device.
Thank
you
so
much
for
joining
us
today.