Statue of Octavius Valentine Catto unveiled

USA - A statue of an African American civil rights activist and educator, Octavius Valentine Catto, was unveiled Tuesday at the southwest corner of Philadelphia City Hall on John F. Kennedy Blvd. Octavius was born free on February 22, 1839, in Charleston, South Carolina, and moved to Philadelphia as a child. In 1858, he graduated as valedictorian from what would become Cheyney University, the nation’s oldest historically black college, in Pennsylvania and became an English and math teacher at his alma mater. The statue applauding Octavius’ accomplishments is the first tribute of its kind for an African American in a public space in Philadelphia and the first public sculpture at City Hall since a statue of city father John Wanamaker was installed in 1923. During his lifetime he fought for a better education for black students, led efforts to desegregate the city’s street cars and pushed for equal voting rights. His contributions to American democracy rival some of the country’s most celebrated patriots, yet his story has remained largely unknown.

‘We know more about Rocky, who’s not even a real person, than we know about Octavius, which says a lot,’ Mayor Jim Kenney said. He first learned of Octavius’ story as a young city councilman. Octavius worked to make sure that African Americans had a chance at getting their voices heard, which made him a leader in getting Pennsylvania to ratify the 15th Amendment, which gave black men the right to vote. Unfortunately, his advocacy would bring about his untimely death. On October 10, 1871, the first Election Day African Americans were allowed to vote, Octavius was shot to death on his doorstep - on his way to cast his ballot by Irish American ward bosses. He was 32 years old.

(dailymail.co.uk)