When I arrived on the East Coast in May, there was one thing I was most excited to see: monuments. I’m a history buff, and I couldn't imagine anything cooler than visiting grand spaces dedicated to my favorite American heroes. With my camera in hand, I set out to capture as many monuments as my memory card would allow.
On the first day of my trip, on a Philadelphia street, I met a park ranger named Julian Blanco. Blanco had just finished giving a guided tour near a statue of a soldier when I approached him and asked about the importance of monuments.
He explained how monuments help tie the current generation to those who came before us, allowing history and human experiences to continue being remembered and acknowledged in the future.
“Monuments allow us to establish those connections, to hear those stories, and to recognize, you know, the conditions, the risks, the sacrifices, but also the triumphs from engaging in such important events,” Blanco said.
As he mentioned words like “risks” and “sacrifices,” I thought about the historical figures who fought so hard to secure the freedoms we have today.
My mind immediately went to Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. as I reflected on the challenges they faced to ensure equality for people regardless of their skin color.
I then thought about George Washington and his example of being a strong and brave leader, while also demonstrating humility and meekness. I wondered what advice they would give us if they were still here today, and I hoped they would be proud of our continued efforts to strengthen our nation despite our imperfections.
Toward the end of my discussion with Blanco, he said something I didn’t expect.
“A lot of times, monuments can be subtle. It can be a small plaque, or they can be in a historic location that's off the beaten path,” Blanco said. “Sometimes you have to do a little digging and detective work to find them, but that also adds to the reward you get when you get to experience them and learn about them.”
I took his perspective as a challenge and became determined to uncover these hidden monuments for myself. After all, journalism has taught me that the best stories often require a little digging.
As I walked through the City of Brotherly Love, I came across several monuments: The Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Chinatown Friendship Gate were only a few of the extraordinary sights I beheld. Yet none of these monuments seemed to be “off the beaten path.” They were old and inspiring, but it didn’t take a detective to realize they were there.
It wasn’t until I met Wendy Long Stanley, a historian and tour guide, that Blanco's words truly began to make sense to me. Long Stanley’s studies focus on the American Revolution, particularly the roles that women played 250 years ago. She’s passionate about historical figures like Ona Judge, an enslaved woman who successfully escaped bondage from Washington’s household, and she brings their stories to life as she leads her visitors through historic sites.
As we conversed about the roles that monuments play in history, she brought up a point I hadn’t considered: So often we focus on the massive pillars and gorgeous temples dedicated to the Founding Fathers, but for many women and other “ordinary people,” their stories are often preserved in more humble ways.
“When we look in the past for monuments to women, it's in material culture. This is their harp, this is their Bible where they wrote their children's names,” she said.
Her words deeply resonated with me. I thought about the women, children, enslaved people and everyday citizens who worked so hard and went through so much to ensure the lives we have today. The Founding Fathers played a crucial part in securing the freedoms we now enjoy, but they did not build this nation alone. Although Bibles and instruments aren’t quite as glamorous as marble temples, they resonate with me just as much.
When I think about how I want my legacy to be remembered, I think it’s often the small and simple things that mean the most. I know I will never have a bronze statue dedicated to me or a national park bearing my name, but I hope my memory lives on through the little things, like the notes I write for my husband and the journal entries that document my struggles, growth and the person I became along the way.
The truth is, many of the Founding Fathers felt the same way I do about being glorified. Our first President, George Washington, never sought power or personal glorification. When he accepted the position out of duty, he admitted, “My movements to the chair of Government will be accompanied with feelings not unlike those of a culprit who is going to the place of his execution.”
I wonder how George Washington would react if he saw the large and towering monument that holds his name today. Perhaps he would feel a little uncomfortable and uneasy that such a large obelisk was made in his remembrance, or maybe he would feel honored. Likely, it would be some mix of both.
Yet, I do not believe these monuments are wrong. In many ways, they help us do exactly what Blanco said: they help us connect with people and stories of the past. There is something meaningful about the time and care we dedicate to preserving these connections in a physical and lasting form.
Whether the monuments we honor are granite statues or dusty journals, I hope we take time to learn about the people behind them and the stories they hold. They were human, and it is their humanity, sacrifices, struggles and triumphs that we’re really meant to remember.