Like Cooper alumni Augustus Saint-Gaudens and A.A. Weinman before her, Meredith Bergmann A’77 has contributed to the aesthetics and soul of New York City through her sculpture. Bergmann’s monument Women’s Rights Pioneers made history as the first depiction of real historical women in Central Park statuary. The monument depicts Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton gathered around a table working on three elements of activism: speaking, writing, and organizing. The statue was unveiled on the 100th anniversary of the ratification the 19th amendment, which granted women the right to vote. Bergmann has said of the piece, “I have worked for decades for social justice and historical redress through my art, using my artist’s imagination to create empathic representations of diverse, inspiring people.” 

Bergmann’s sculptures can be found at other New York landmarks including the Cathedral of St. John the Divine where her Memorial to September 11th was installed in 2012. FDR Hope Memorial, Bergmann’s depiction of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in a wheelchair greeting a small girl with leg braces, will be unveiled on Roosevelt Island this Saturday as a tribute to those who face challenges through physical disability. It is yet another example of Bergmann’s commitment to depict people whose lives have often gone unnoted in traditional statuary.