Arts & Entertainment
‘Other Washingtons’ Art Installation Aims to Reimagine Who We Choose to Remember
Dozens of Chicagoans gathered in Washington Park on Thursday for the unveiling of a new art installation that looks to inspire Chicagoans to reimagine who we choose to remember.
“Other Washingtons” is an art intervention located around the George Washington statue at 51st Street and Martin Luther King Drive that features artists, inventors, educators and other inspirational leaders, all with the last name Washington.
“George Washington is one of those figures that everybody probably can describe as something they learned about in school, from elementary school kids to adults,” said Amanda Williams, the artist and creator of “Other Washingtons” and former MacArthur Fellowship recipient. “Obviously, he’s the first president of the United States, but also, renders a troubled history as a slave owner and other narratives that are either minimized or overlooked. And so this gives an opportunity to not just erase him or to either minimize or overemphasize those things, but also to just expand what it might mean to honor and exalt someone named Washington.”
By exploring whose stories are chosen to be memorialized, the project reconsiders what it means to leave a legacy through stories of race, justice and visibility.
The other Washingtons featured in the nearly 40 flag poles are local heroes and historic icons. From King College Prep band director Benjamin Washington to scientist and inventor George Washington Carver, the goal is to situate big and small names among national icons.
At last year’s Bud Billiken Parade, banners went up introducing the project to the public. Viewers were encouraged to share who their favorite Washington is — whether a close friend or historical figure.
“ Whether you’re named Washington or not, you know a Washington, and a Washington has played some role in your life, from Harold to Dinah,” Williams said. “It really was something that everybody could feel they had ownership over.”
The installation is one of the signature commissions of the Chicago Monuments Project, which launched in 2020 with the aim of confronting inequities and telling a more truthful story through memorials and monuments in Chicago.
It is funded, in part, by the Mellon Foundation and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
Mayor Brandon Johnson attended the unveiling and said the project is a crucial step in honoring and remembering influential Chicagoans.
“ The ‘Other Washingtons’ expands our understanding of our history and honors the many Washingtons who contribute and have shaped this city, and that will continue to inspire future generations,” Johnson said. “This piece symbolizes that we can always create space for more stories, more voices and more perspectives.”
As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, Williams is encouraging everyone who visits the display to reflect deeply on whose stories get told.
“This is not a pretend thing,” Williams said. “You know, Jerome Washington exists, Candace Washington exists. They’re being honored in real time. And so I think that the message for everybody is that you don’t have to be a genius or have done something great historically to be honored, to be seen as human.”
