The 2021 National Monument Audit found that, of the close to 49,000 public monuments in the U.S., only 274, or less than 1%, depict women history makers. The most dominant subject of our monuments is war, including almost half of the federally funded monuments on the National Mall and close to 6,000 Civil War monuments. And half of the 50 men that have the most public monuments were slave-owners. When women are portrayed in statues, they are often allegorical, or fictional characters. Across the nation, there are more monuments depicting mermaids (22) than Congresswomen (2).

Audacious Women is developing a new multimedia series about the underrepresentation of historic women in public monuments, and what artists and cities across the country are doing to reverse the disparity. We will document the creation of a new sculpture, unravelling the drama and challenges inherent in creating something as “monumental” as a monument, including the fundraising, design, approval, fabrication, and installation; discuss the role that monuments play in communities where they are located; and question why so few commemorations of women history makers exist in public spaces.