RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Capitol Foundation announced that statues of an inspired Native American chieftain, a courageous Jamestown settler, an influential African-American educator, and a champion for women’s suffrage have been commissioned for the nation’s first monument recognizing the breadth of notable but often overlooked contributions of women.

The four statues are the first of 12 pieces to be commissioned for the monument Voices From The Garden: The Virginia Women’s Monument. The project intends to serve as an interactive experience honoring the achievements of Virginia women alongside the more traditional, primarily male monuments lining Capitol Square.

Visitors to Capitol Square will be able to use a mobile app to learn more about each woman’s accomplishment and hear their stories through their own words.

The statues of Cockacoeske, Anne Burras Laydon, Virginia E. Randolph, and Adèle Clark are fully funded – each requiring a $200,000 investment in order to be commissioned by StudioEIS, a Brooklyn-based sculpture studio that crafted the project’s vision.

“The statue of Cockacoeske was funded by two generous women who designated their $100,000 pledges for this specific statue,” said Susan Allen, board chair of the Virginia Capitol Foundation. “Funding for the statues of suffragist Adèle Clark, Jamestown resident Anne Burras Laydon, and educational leader Virginia E. Randolph came from donations by individuals, businesses and other sources.”

To develop the statues, StudioEIS held a three-day photo-shoot where costumed female actors posed as the 12 women who were selected for the statues. Designers will then use 3-D scanners to transform the photos into life-sized statues that will eventually stand in Capitol Square.

Construction on the monument’s plaza began in June 2018. For more information or to make a donation to the Virginia Women’s Monument, click here.