Sacajawea Apology Plaque

Charlottesville, Virginia

In 1919 Charlottesville unveiled an impressive statue honoring Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and Sacajawea. At the time, even including Sacajawea was probably a bold idea, and the statue was praised as an inspiring work of public art. As time passed, however, the public grew less fond of the statue, which portrayed Sacajawea as hunched below Lewis and Clark -- sculpture shorthand for "subservient."

By the 21st century the statue's critics were demanding action. The statue couldn't be changed, and Charlottesville didn't want to scrap it, so in 2009 the city invited two Sacajawea descendents to write text for a conciliatory plaque, which was placed next to the statue.