Redemption Song, an 11 foot. high bronze sculpture, is situated at the main entrance of Emancipation Park. It is comprised of two naked black statues, a male and female, gazing to the skies, symbolic of their triumphant rise from the horrors of slavery. At the base of the sculpture is a dome-shaped fountain. “Water is an important part of the monument. It is refreshing, purifying and symbolically washes away the pain and suffering of the past,” said artist Laura Facey. It was unveiled in July 2003. While creating the piece, she said she was inspired by the words of national hero Marcus Garvey and of Reggae legend Bob Marley “none but ourselves can free our minds.”
The statue has been controversial, mostly because of the nudity and what has been noted as the large size of the sexual organs. Also, the artist is white, which did not sit well with some.
The six acre Emancipation Park was dedicated the year before,
Here’s the song:
