[Photo by Adam Gerard]
This statue and corresponding park at the intersection of 10th & L Street NW (and right by the Morrison-Clark) is notable for both its design and its honoree. Samuel Gompers is not necessarily a name that rings too many bells of recognition, so why he should receive a tiny plot of land in a high traffic area of the city might be a mystery. Gompers was an American cigar maker born in the United Kingdom, but his claim to fame was his work with the labor unions. He was the founder and first president of the American Federation of Labor and was a staunch pro-war supporter during World War I. The bronze statue by R. Aitken, with several Gompers quotes at the base was dedicated in 1933, only nine years after his death. Now the only mystery remains as to the significance of the angel, the infant and all the other figures surrounding the seated Gompers.
· Samuel Gompers Memorial [Wikipedia]
· Samuel Gompers [Wikipedia]
· GOMPERS, Samuel: Memorial near Mount Vernon Square in Washington, D.C. [DC Memorials]
· All Hidden Memorials [CDC]
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