William-Loyd Garrison

Fun Facts about the William-Loyd Garrison Statue

July 9, 2020 by cryan.com

William Lloyd Garrison (1805-1879) was an American Journalist and crusader. His writing focused mostly on Woman's Suffrage and civil rights and was a strong abolitionist.

On October 21, 1835, he was a victim of a mob attack after he gave an abolitionist speech. The mob plan to carry him from the Old State House to the Boston Commons. Once there they were going to tar and feather him. The Mayor and his aids were able to come to William Loyd Garrison's rescue and take him to the city jail to keep him away from the mob. He escaped the city.

Many years later the city felt really bad for the way William Garrison was treated and decided to honor him with a statue on Commonwealth Ave.

Seven Things I Learned

1. The Quincy granite pedestal is six feet high designed by John M. Wells. The entire statue weights two thousand six hundred pounds.
2. The part of the statue that shows William-Loyd Garrison sitting was created by Olin Levi Warner, best known for the bronze portals on the doors of the Library of Congress.
3. Installed on May 13, 1886, at 6 pm with about 50 people attending a very informal ceremony.
4. The statue was to be displayed on October 21, 1885 - the fiftieth anniversary of the Boston Mob attack but due to unforeseen delays in the casting, the work wasn't finished until May 13, 1886.
5. The statue shows Mr. Garrison as he appeared around the age of 63. Note the overcoat that is thrown over the chair as a decorative effect.
6. The face of William Loy Garrison was taken from an actual mask that John Rogers had.
7. At the base of the statue is the words "I will be Heard" is from the anti-slavery newspaper "The Liberator"

William Loyd Garrison Statue Location

The statue is located on the Commonwealth Ave. Mall, between Dartmouth St. and Exeter Street

Lesson from William Loyd Garrison

John Stuart Mill, British Philosopher pointed out two lessons from Mr. Garrison's career: