Another Lincoln Statue Comes to Boise

Last month, I was able to attend a ceremony held in honor of Juneteenth and to dedicate another statue of Abraham Lincoln in Boise. This newest statue, now sitting in Julia Davis Park, was originally sculpted by Gutzon Borglum and copied by a Boise artist, Irene Deely. The celebration, complete with the unveiling of the statue, was really nice, and I enjoyed seeing a good crowd of people that came to remember a man so important to American history.

The ceremony coincided with the Idaho Black History Museum's celebration of Juneteenth, a holiday to commemorate the abolition of slavery. President Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War, and it was put into effect on January 1, 1863. Two and a half years later, on June 19, 1865, a group of Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas with news of the end of the war and that the slaves were now free. Freed slaves began to call this celebration "Juneteenth." It is the first African American holiday in the U.S.

The celebration of Juneteenth and the dedication of the new Lincoln statue began with patriotic music and an introduction by David H. Leroy, the chairman of the Idaho Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. The ceremony included remarks from Irene Deely, Boise City Major Dave Bieter, and a representative from the Idaho Black History Museum on the meaning of Juneteenth. One of the guest speakers also included David Wiegers, who has visited more than 200 Lincoln statues around the country.

It all ended with the unveiling of the new statue! Borglum titled this statue "Gethsemane," portraying Lincoln as troubled by the war. The original statue Borglum sculpted sits in Newark, New Jersey. I would recommend anyone traveling through Boise to stop by and see this statue, as it's quite large. Plus, not far from Julia Davis Park is another Lincoln statue in front of the state Capitol. Both statues are incredible tributes to a man who has meant so much to America.