Exciting news: For the first time in its 160-year history, Central Park has installed a statue commemorating real women. The statues, called "Pioneers of Women's Rights Monument," honor Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Sojourner Truth. The only other female statues in the park (open in new tab) are fictional characters, such as Alice in Wonderland and Juliet from Romeo and Juliet. The statue was installed the same week that our country commemorates the 100th anniversary of women's right to vote. (It took seven years for this monument to be installed in the park. According to the Monumental Women organization, more than 1,000 donations were received to erect the statue. One of the groups that donated was the Girl Scouts, which used the cookie money to pay for the bronze statue.

"I am honored to stand in Central Park on Women's Equality Day," said Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney at the unveiling ceremony on March 26, "Women's equality begins with representation. Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and countless other women who have risked their lives to protest and been arrested for gender equality. The statue serves as a constant reminder for all of us to continue the struggle."

Others in attendance included former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who spoke about the importance of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, but noted that its passage did not apply to everyone.

"The passage of the 19th Amendment was an important, significant, historic victory, but it was also an imperfect one. It will take decades more to guarantee rights to women of color, especially black and Native American women," Clinton said. A century later, "the struggle to exercise the right to vote continues."

She also spoke about the importance of giving all Americans equal voting rights and how that fight is not over. We are still fighting to know that every American who has the right to vote, regardless of race, age, or geography, can vote and that their vote counts." As Sojourner, Susan, and Elizabeth understood, when each of us is free, we are all free. Democracy belongs to all of us."

Before you see the statue in person (or virtually), click here (opens in new tab) to register to vote.