William Tecumseh Sherman (Saint-Gaudens)

William Tecumseh Sherman, also known as the Sherman Memorial or Sherman Monument, is a sculpture group honoring William Tecumseh Sherman, created by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and located at Grand Army Plaza in Manhattan, New York. Cast in 1902 and dedicated on May 30, 1903, the gilded-bronze monument consists of an equestrian statue of Sherman and an accompanying statue, Victory, an allegorical female figure of the Greek goddess Nike. The statues are set on a Stony Creek granite pedestal designed by the architect Charles Follen McKim.

Behind the grandeur of the iconic monument lies a lesser-known story—that of Hettie Anderson, an African-American woman whose legacy has been largely overlooked.

In the article below, genealogist and historian Karen Strickland uncovers the unknown history behind one of Central Park’s most celebrated works of art and the remarkable contributions of individuals like Hettie Anderson.