Monument to the Footsoldiers
Item
Title
Monument to the Footsoldiers
Description
Assemblage. Painted wood sign anchors an installation of cinder block pathways and cenotaphs. On the sign, the top horizontal reads "1963 16 St. BOMB - CHURCH / HOME - BHAM AL" in bright yellow paint. Below, seven white vertical wooden supports with black painted lettering. From the left, the vertical signs read in order: "HUMAN RIGHTS" / "RACISM" / "POLICE FIRE" / "DOGS GUNS CUB" [sic] / "PADDY WAGON" / "BULL" / "NON - VIOLENCE." Bottom of sign reads "GOD BLESS ALL / FOOTSOLDIER" in white painted lettering. The bottom section is irregularly shaped, and at the right, a vertical section extends up alongside the white verticals. White lettering on this section reads, vertically, "GO JAIL" and horizontally, "2 BE FREE." The sign rests on two piles of concrete blocks, and is topped by a motorcycle helmet painted white on the left side and red on the right, with the letters "B.P.D. / B.F.D." in white on the visor. Around the base of the sign is a ring of red concrete paving stones. A conch shell is placed on the base and on top of one of the concrete supports.
A path of cinder block circles towards the sign and then away, and on either side are cenotaphs built of cinder blocks and topped with red concrete pavers and conch shells. At the bases of each cenotaph is another red concrete paver holding a pair of shoes. On the cenotaph immediately in front of the sigh there is a lion figurine in a metallic gold color. On the cenotaph immediately to the right is a yellow bust of a woman in prayer.
In the inner curve of the path there is a central cenotaph surrounded by a ring of grey concrete paving stones. There are numerous pairs of shoes laid on the ring of stones.
A path of cinder block circles towards the sign and then away, and on either side are cenotaphs built of cinder blocks and topped with red concrete pavers and conch shells. At the bases of each cenotaph is another red concrete paver holding a pair of shoes. On the cenotaph immediately in front of the sigh there is a lion figurine in a metallic gold color. On the cenotaph immediately to the right is a yellow bust of a woman in prayer.
In the inner curve of the path there is a central cenotaph surrounded by a ring of grey concrete paving stones. There are numerous pairs of shoes laid on the ring of stones.
Subject
Assemblages (sculpture) See all items with this value
Civil rights movements See all items with this value
16th Street Baptist Church Bombing, Birmingham, Ala., 1963 See all items with this value
Creator
Minter, Joe
Language
English
Type
Assemblages (sculpture) See all items with this value
Format
found objects
wood
concrete pavers
cinder blocks
shoes
conch shells
figurines
and paint.