The Monuments

The first three statues honoring pioneering women from Western New York are located at Old Erie County Hall, 92 Franklin Street, Buffalo. These women trailblazers were leaders in their communities as well as the nation. Their inspiring lives and careers deserve to be celebrated. Hear their stories below.

LOUISE BLANCHARD BETHUNE, FAIA
ARCHITECT

The first professional woman architect in the United States, Louise Blanchard Bethune was a national leader in the architectural profession during the Gilded Age. A staunch advocate for equal pay for equal work, Bethune advocated for co-education and design excellence in educational design.

MARY BURNETT TALBERT
cIVIL RIGHTS LEADER

An internationally respected civil rights leader, Mary Burnett Talbert was an anti-lynching activist, suffragist, preservationist and educator. She was an early member of the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs, which helped organize the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Geraldine “Gawö:sid-tah” Green
Sid-tah

A devote educator of her Haudenosaunee traditions, Sid-tah was one of the venerable fluent speakers of the Seneca language who shared her knowledge with throughout the region, nationally and internationally. She was a leader in the Newtown longhouse, serving as head women’s faithkeeper for the animal clans.