Frederick Douglass statues in Rochester created by alumna Olivia Kim ’01 to be repaired, relocated
Statues of Frederick Douglass created by Alfred University alumna Olivia Kim ’01 and installed at various outdoor locations in the city of Rochester, are being restored and moved to indoor settings throughout the city.
Rochester-based sculptor Kim, who earned a BFA degree from Alfred University, created 13 statues of Douglass in 2018 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Civil Rights icon’s birth. The city of Rochester, which was home to Douglass for 30 years following his escape from slavery in Maryland in 1838, purchased 10 of the 13 statues and placed them in locations throughout the city.
A story in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle says the statues, which Kim made from epoxy resin, reflect normal wear from being exposed to the outdoor elements for the last five years. Since their installation in 2018, several of the statues were vandalized and later repaired.
According to the Democrat and Chronicle story, Kim will repair the statues, which will then be relocated to indoor settings, including City Hall, the Central Library building, and the historic Aqueduct Building.
The statues of Douglass that Kim created are based on a larger monument located at the Frederick Douglass Memorial Plaza at Highland Park in Rochester. Douglass, who died in 1895, is buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Rochester.