Statue of Former Mayor Marion Barry Unveiled (photos)
By • March 5, 2018 0 1916
Former D.C. Mayor Marion S. Barry Jr. was honored with a larger-than-life tooled bronze statue, unveiled March 3 outside of the John A. Wilson Building at 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW in Washington, D.C. Barry served four terms as mayor and 16 years on the District Council prior to his death in November of 2014 at age 78.
One of three African Americans with a full-body statue erected and standing in Washington, D.C., Barry is the first local elected official to be honored with a statue.
The 8-foot statue was designed by artist Steven Weitzman of Brentwood, Maryland, who was commissioned for the project by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
Taking part in the dedication ceremony were Mayor Muriel Bowser; Council Chairman Phil Mendelson; Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton; Barry’s widow, Cora Masters Barry, founder and president of the Marion Barry Jr. Legacy Foundation; Michael C. Rogers, chairman of the D.C. Commission to Commemorate and Recognize the Honorable Marion S. Barry, Jr.; Arthur Espinoza Jr., executive director of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities; and sculptor Steven Weitzman of Weitzman Studios.
Also in attendance was Council member and former D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray. Radio DJ Donnie Simpson served as master of ceremonies. The men, women and children of the Washington Performing Arts Gospel Choir, directed by Michele Fowlin, sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and the men of Alpha Phi Alpha sang the “Fraternal Hymn.”
View Jeff Malet’s photos of the Marion Barry statue dedication by clicking on the photo icons below.
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- Washington Performing Arts Men, Women and Children of the Gospel Choir (Michele Fowlin director) (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Ward 2 Councilman Jack Evans with his chief of staff Schannette Grant (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Virginia Ali (Ben’s Chili Bowl) and Ron Baker who is part of the Marion Barry Legacy Committee.. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- A large crowd on Pennsylvania Ave. to view the ceremony (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Vernon Hawkins, a longtime Barry ally (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Radio personality Donnie Simpson served as Master of Ceremonies. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- (left to right) Council Chairman Phil Mendelson; Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton; John Lesane, Cora Masters Barry, artist Steven Weitzman, Bishop Glen A. Staples (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- John Lesane sings the National Anthem (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Bishop Glen A. Staples delivers the invocation. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Mayor Muriel Bowser salutes former Mayor Barry (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Mayor Muriel Bowser saidBarry taught people to never give up hope. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Michael C. Rogers, Chairman, D.C. Commission to Commemorate and Recognize the Honorable Marion S. Barry, Jr. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Barry, a Democrat, served four terms as mayor (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Cheers from Ward 8, which Barry represented on the D.C. Council until his death (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Janet Purnell clutches a photo of herself with Barry (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Barry’s widow Cora Masters Barry said that when people counted him out after scandals he got back up. (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Ayoka Miller-Aganyemi (age 10) (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- The 8-foot statue of former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry is unveiled March 3. Photo by Jeff Malet.
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- The 8 foot statue of former Mayor Marion Barry is revealed (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- The statue was designed by artist Steven Weitzman, who was commissioned for the project by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- The statue was designed by artist Steven Weitzman (in photo), who was commissioned for the project by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Council Members gather at the base of the statue (photo by Jeff Malet)
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- Men of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity sang the “Fraternal Hymn.” (photo by Jeff Malet)
