On Statues. On Independence Day
Happy Independence Day! I wanted to share a very American story today.
Last month, during our little East Coast odyssey, D I ended up in New Haven for the day with my aunt, uncle, and nephew. While walking through the historic Italian-American neighborhood of Wooster Square to return to our car, I spotted a bronze statue in the center of the common. Curious to see who was honored in this place where families like my own Sicilian and Italian ancestors had settled after arriving in this country, I ran over quickly to take a look. Just seeing it made me a little teary-eyed. It was like peering into a frozen moment in time when an immigrant family of four had just stepped onto Ellis Island. One tiny child perched on the crook of his father’s arm, pointing up to the sky. The other child, a girl standing with her two hands clasping a book, gazing ahead, her mother’s hand gently resting on her shoulder in a gesture of safety and love.
Three other people had gathered in front of the statue and were chatting. One friendly lady exclaimed, “How beautiful it is, isn’t it?” We all expressed how special it was. We shared how our family had also immigrated from Italy and Sicily, and that the depiction really hit home. “Well, the artist is right here,” the woman said. The man standing there was sculptor Marc-Anthony Massaro. He happened to be waiting for a family member who had not been able to attend the unveiling of the statue which had happened just the week before! Massaro shared the origin story of the statue.
One night he was watching as the statue of Columbus was being taken down feeling very emotionally torn. On the one hand happy that the true history of Columbus and the atrocities he committed against Indigenous people and as a slaveholder, and the fallacies in the myth we had been sold as truth were being brought to light. But on the other hand he was mourning the loss of the symbolism that the statue had served - to dignify Italian-Americans and bring them into the fold of the story of this nation. (To read more about this history and how Columbus Day came to be - I recommend this article: https://www.nytimes.com/.../columbus-day-italian-american... )
Moved by emotion, the artist took out an old family album and started sketching a photograph of his grandparents, captured as they first landed in America.
He had no idea what plans had been put in place for the vacant spot where Columbus had stood, his ominous presence overlooking the square. At that point, he explained he just wanted to honor his grandparents who came to this country to build a brighter future for their children and had given him such a beautiful legacy.
14 months later, after submitting his vision to the city’s monument committee, the statue was ready to be installed.
Goosebumps. Suffice it to say, we were all teary-eyed learning the back story of this monument. I felt so lucky that I had been driven to distraction and happened upon the artist and his meaningful masterpiece. Especially since I have only more recently been diving into my own family’s story, understanding the racism they contended with for many years as Italian/Sicilians trying to assimilate into America.
In an article I included below, Marc-Anthony explained that in the statue "the father represents strength; the mother, nurture; the daughter, education; and the son, the future. It is an homage to not just Italians, but all immigrants."
How much more meaningful was this depiction of what makes this country so beautiful in the first place? The diversity we have created by making it a beacon to immigrants from all over the globe, a patchwork of histories and traditions that make our nation stronger and wiser if we can just honor them and listen.
On this Independence Day, I wanted to share this story to honor the ideals that make this country great. The hope it has offered families a new life and possibility, the ability through our Constitution to evolve and grow together.
Our nation is often referred to as the “American-experiment.” In science, it goes without saying that an experiment relies on many failures as part of the learning process. It also requires the scientist to put away their own bias and be willing to change course. When presenting their findings they are completely transparent in their documentation, which only serves to validate their research, and make it helpful for others who further it down the road.
I’ll always cherish having this photo and my memory of meeting Marc-Anthony Massaro and the statue of his family. It gives me hope that we can build on the rich, diverse heritage stories of what is great about America and what is also real. By discarding myths like Columbus as relics of a more naive time, facing “our shadow," scrutinizing the history we teach, and not trying to invalidate or look away from the hurtful things in our past that are still impacting citizens in our present, we can move forward and heal stronger.
Read more about the story of Marc-Anthony Massaro and his statue here! https://www.nhregister.com/.../new-wooster-square-statue...