Frances E Willard Statue in the US Capitol

Photo credit - WWP team

A marble statue of Frances E Willard has been on display in the Statuary Hall in the US Capitol in Washington, DC since 1905, representing the state of Illinois. Among the many firsts attributed to Willard is this statue which was the first statue to honor a woman in the National Statuary Hall Collection. It was created by the sculptress Helen Farnsworth Mears, one of the first and one of the few women who have their work displayed in the US Capitol.

Frances E. Willard (1839-1898) was an educator, suffragist, and president of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. Among her many accomplishments are – becoming the president of Evanston College for Ladies by the age of 32, leading the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) for 19 years, making it the largest organization of women at the time. At this position, she toured the country, giving speeches, advocating for prohibition, women’s rights, the suffrage movement, labor reform, and education, encouraging women to be involved in local and national politics, and supporting social change.

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You can visit her statue on a free guided tour departing from the US Capitol Visitor Center

Click here for more women-related places in WDC Metro Area

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