New Statue Unveiled in Haverstraw

On a surprisingly rain-free Saturday afternoon, the Haverstraw African American Connection, or HAAC, hosted a celebration to unveil the new statue that will be on display in the Haverstraw African American Memorial Park until July 7th, 2025. This statue memorializes Solomon Northup, the author of the memoir turned blockbuster film 12 Years a Slave. 

Northup, born a free native New Yorker in 1807, was an abolitionist, landowner, professional violinist, and farmer. In 1841, at the age of 32, Northup was drugged and kidnapped after traveling to Washington D.C. under false pretenses and was then sold into slavery. It was not until twelve years later that Northup was able to gain his freedom back. It took the diligent efforts of Northup, a Canadian man named Samuel Bass, all of Northup’s friends and family, and the Governor of New York before Northup was finally freed. Even though it was widely known that the kidnapping was illegal, James H. Birch, the slave trader in D.C. who sold Northup, was never punished for his crimes. At the time it was illegal for a black man to testify against a white man in Washington D.C. At Saturday’s event, George Lee of the HAAC presented a historical outline of Northup’s life to educate the attendees on Northup’s life and struggle.

To begin the ceremony, Rev. Dr. Raymond C. Caliman led the group of all ages in a prayer, sanctifying the day and the continuous hard work of the HAAC. “Let us not ever forget that freedom is not free,” nodded the Reverend.

There were several reminders throughout the ceremony of how far the African American community has come in Rockland, and how far there is still yet to go. One particularly beautiful song was sung by Angel Brooks Hill, who captained the keyboard and vocals for the musical performances. She spoke on songs that slaves would sing while being forced to pick cotton, and her crystal clear voice rang out over the audience as she sang of freedom from slavery. It was a stunning choice of music, and left many audience members at risk of a bug flying into their open mouths after Brooks Hill’s performance left them speechless and slackjawed. The performance worked well to tie into the statue’s title of “Hope Out of Darkness”. 

The Mayor of Haverstraw, Michael Kohut, spoke on remembering Solomon Northup and those like him and how now more than ever, “It’s important to all of us. It’s not just black history, it’s American history and it’s our history. We all suffer the stain.”

Virginia Norfleet, affectionately known as Ginny by her fellow HAAC members, was praised for her hard work educating Rocklanders on this important American history. Norfleet graciously accepted the praise but emphasized “We’re not done…As long as there’s life, there’s always things to do.” 

On Northup’s statue, there are twelve links to his chain, one representing every year of his slavery. The 12th link is broken open signifying his freedom, and in his left hand he clutches a gold object. At first glance, it seems to be a torch, but upon further inspection (and reading the Artist’s Statement), it is both Northup’s legal freedom documents and his memoir Twelve Years a Slave. The resemblance to a torch is not accidental – artist Wesley Wofford states that the documents Northup grips are “…lighting the way towards a more just and equitable future.”

Wofford’s statue is not alone in the African American Memorial Park. There is “Imani” and “JunJun”, both created by artist James Tyler, as well as informational kiosks educating visitors about American history. Directly across from Northup’s statue is Harriet Tubman’s statue. The two make intense eye contact from across the park, giving each statue an even more lifelike appearance. 

As Norfleet said, the park is not done and neither is the HAAC. There is much more to see and do, and it all comes wrapped in the beautiful ribbon of the views the park offers of the Hudson River. Join the HAAC for their Juneteenth Celebration, or simply stop by the African American Memorial Park and admire some of the stunning art Haverstraw has to offer, and maybe even learn a thing or two while you’re there.