Peace Monuments in New England (USA) (States of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island & Vermont)

Right click image to enlarge.

1796 - Peacefield, Quincy, Massachusetts (USA). "I think to christen my place Peacefield, in commemoration of the peace which I assisted in making in 1783, of the thirteen years peace and neutrality which I [as Vice President] have contributed to preserve, and of the constant peace and tranqualitry which I have enjoyed in this residence." -- John Adams [1735-1926].

1831 - Mount Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts (USA). "Our founders believed that burying and commemorating the dead was best done in a tranquil and beautiful natural setting at a short distance from the city center. They also believed that the Cemetery should be a place for the living, 'embellishing' the natural landscape with ornamental plantings, monuments, fences, fountains and chapels. This inspired concept was copied widely throughout the United States, giving birth to the rural cemetery movement and the tradition of garden cemeteries. Their popularity led, in turn, to the establishment of America's public parks." Famous people buried here include William Ellery Channing [1780-1842], Dorothea Dix [1802-1887], Julia Ward Howe [1819-1897] and Mary Baker Eddy [1821-1887].

M U S E U M

Date? - Harriet Beecher Stowe House, Hartford, Connecticut (USA).

About 1849 - Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site, Dawn, near Dresden, Kent County, Ontario (Canada). "This humble house became a crucial link in the Underground Railroad when it was settled by Josiah Henson [1789-1883], who escaped slavery in Kentucky in 1830. His autobiography in 1849 inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe to pen Uncle Tom's Cabin in 1852. Ner novel was credited by President Abraham Lincoln as a catalyst of the American Civil War."

Circa 1833 - "Peaceable Kingdom", Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA). One of a series of similar paintings by Quaker artist by David Hicks [1780-1849]. Probably painted in Pennsylvania.

1855 - "The Reconcilation of Montagues & Capulets (Over the Dead Bodies of Romeo and Juliet)," Yale Center for British Art, Yale University< New Haven, Connecticut (USA). By Frederic Lord Leighton [1830-1896].

June 15-19, 1869 - Coliseum (Temple Of Peace) for the National Peace Jubilee, Back Bay, Boston, Massachusetts (USA). "A temporary building constructed solely for the purpose of hosting the Jubilee. Stood where Trinity Church & Copley Plaza Hotel are now located in Copley Square. The building was 550 feet long by 350 feet wide, covering about 4-1/2 acres. The main walls were 40 feet high, and the height of the central point of the roof was 120 feet. The Organ was purportedly the most powerful instrument ever constructed until then. The Chorus numbered about 20,000, from all parts of the Union. The Orchestra was purportedly the largest ever gathered until then, numbering about 2,000 musicians, from parts of the country as well as England, Ireland, France & Germany. The Big Drum was 12 feet in diameter and 6 feet wide."

June 17-July 4, 1872 - Coliseum (Temple Of Peace?) for the World's Peace Jubilee & International Musical Festival, Back Bay, Boston, Massachusetts (USA). Newly constructed for a repeat of the 1869 Jubilee "with a seating capacity of 100,000. Erected at a cost of half a million dollars." At opening ceremonies before some 15,000 spectators, Phillips Brooks presented a prayer & Boston mayor William Gaston & Nathaniel Prentice Banks gave speeches. "'Unfortunately the size of the building and the din of the workmen caused passages of the prayer and speeches to be inaudible' During the festival 'the bands of the Grenadier guards from London, of the Garde republicaine from Paris, of the Kaiser Franz regiment from Berlin, & a band from Dublin, Ireland: with Johann Strauss, the waltz-king, Franz Abt ("Hymn of Peace"), the German song-writer, & many famous soloists, vocal & instrumental, were among the foreign attractions.' One concert featured a 'performance of Verdi's Il Trovatore by a 2,000-member orchestra, conducted by Johann Strauss, Jr., and 100 assistants, accompanied by a 20,000-voice chorus.'"

June 17, 1887 - Angel of Peace, Soldiers & Sailors Monument, East Rock, New Haven, Connecticut (USA). "The monument consists of a square pedestal and a vertical granite shaft, culminating with the 11-foot, 5,000-pound bronze Angel of Peace at the top. The faces of the pedestal feature bronze bas-relief sculptures depicting scenes from the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Civil War, respectively. On the four corners of the pedestal sit four different bronze ladies: Patriotism, Victory, Prosperity, and History."

1890 - Peace Monument, Monument Hill, Leeds, Maine (USA). "Erected in memory of the 161 soldiers and sailors who served from this town. This is the largest per capita number serving in the war of any town in the State of Maine."

1905 - Angel of Peace, Forest Hills Cemetery, Boston, Massachusetts (USA). Sculpted by Daniel Chester French [1850-1931]. George Robert White [1847-1922] was "a well known Boston philanthropist who made his fortune with the Weeks & Potter Drug Company." French created many famous memorials, including the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

June 1908 - Maine Monument, Salisbury National Cemetery, 202 Government Road, Salisbury, North Carolina (USA). 25-foot high granite monument topped by a soldier. This & the Pennsylvania monument were built because of the significant number of federal soldiers from those states who perished at Salisbury Prison during the Civil War. Inscription says: "They fought for peace. For peace they fell. They sleep in peace. And all is well." [This is from the poem "A Song of Peace" by Joaquin Miller, in "Angel of Peace," Boston, August 1876]

G R A V E

M E M O R I A L

1879 - Grave of Elihu Burritt, Fairview Cemetery, New Britain, Hartford County, Connecticut (USA). 1916 - Elihu Burritt Memorial, 111 Franklin Square, Sister City Plaza, New Britain, Connecticut (USA). Says "Peace and Universal Brotherhood." Sculpted by Robert Aitken [1878-1949]. Restored in 2000.

S T A T U E

M E M O R I A L

August 13, 1908 - Elihu Burritt Memorial, The Green, New Marlborough, Massachusetts (USA). Inscribed "'The Learned Blacksmith.' Linguist and Apostle of Peace. Organizer of 'the League of Universal Brotherhood.' Author of the "Congress of Nations.' Advocate of low rate ocean postage. Followed his trade and studied at the Forge in New Marlboro 1821-1833."

C O L L E G E

M A R K E R

1848 - Burritt College, Spencer, Van Buren County, Tennessee (USA). Closed in 1939, but at least one building is still used by county government. "Founders chose the name of Elihu Burritt [1810-1879] because they admired the initiative, perseverance & determination which characterized Burritt's rise to national prominence. While there was not an overwhelming amount of pacifistic sentiment within the Church of Christ, there was nevertheless a sufficient amount for the small band of Christians in the isolated village of Spencer to know of the life and work of one of the outstanding leaders in the peace movement. Generally the Church of Christ followed the pattern set by other religious groups in questions such as war & slavery."

1922 - Statue of Anne Hutchinson, State House, Boston, Massachusetts (USA). Anne Hutchinson [1591-1643] was a "courageous exponent of civil liberty and religious toleration." Inscription on the marble pediment of the statue reads: "In memory of Anne Marbury Hutchinson. Baptized at Alford, Lincolnshire, England, 20 July 1595 [sic]. Killed by the Indians at East Chester, New York, 1643. Courageous exponent of civil liberty and religious toleration."

1924 - Sacrifices of War Monument, John Paul Johns Memorial Park , Route 1, Kittery, Maine (USA). "Designed by Russian-born sculptor Bashka Paeff [1894-1979]. Honors men lost at sea. Commissioned following World War I. The 11-foot wide bronze plaque, weighing 2,800 pounds was among the heaviest cast in its time. The sculpture features two life-sized men drowned & a grieving mother with a small child. Considered an anit-war statement, the original design was rejected by the governor of Maine in 1920 as not sufficiently warlike. The granite monument is the first sight for visitors to Kittery, Maine, who cross the World War Memorial Bridge from Portsmouth, NH." /// "Suprisingly Anti-War. Just after Route 1 crosses into Maine is this very powerful war memorial. Below is 'The State of Maine to Her Sailors and Soldiers.' In smaller writing is 'Lord God of Hosts be with us yet lest we forget lest we forget...'" Rededicated May 31, 2001.

July 21, 1928 - William Ladd Boulder, Center Minot Congregational Church, Minot, Maine (USA). Monument created for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the American Peace Society & the 150th anniversary of William Ladd’s birth. Rests on granite from every state in New England, as well as stones from 14 other countries." Inscription on plaque: "In honor of William Ladd, the Apostle of Peace, born May 10, 1778, died April 7, 1841. Organizer and founder of the American Peace Society one hundred years ago. Citizen and resident of Minot, Maine, author of 'An Essay on a Congress of Nations' [1840], an outstanding contribution to world peace. This tablet erected July 21, 1928, in response to a joint resolution of the 83rd legislature of the State of Maine authorizing a commemoration of the memory and services of William Ladd. Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God."

December 15, 1823 - "William Ladd [1778-1841] begins the Peace Society of Minot, Town of Minot, Maine (USA). The first meeting is held at the local blacksmith shop at Minot Corner. Ladd will eventually organize five additional peace societies, and in 1826 will initiate the thought to turn the peace society into a national organization. On May 8, 1828, the American Peace Society is formed in Boston, Masssachusetts. From 1911 to 1948, the American Peace Society headquarters will be located near the White House in Washington, DC. In 1974 the building was declared a historic landmark." [NB: Population of Minot was 2,607 in the census of 2010. Image shows backsmith shop in West Minot, c.1900.]

1929 - Charles Lindbergh Good Will Window, Trinity Methodist Church, Springfield, Massachusetts (USA). "Commemorates Charles Lindbergh's famous flight across the world [in 1927]. The window depicts Lindbergh standing, dressed in aviation clothing. The words 'Good Will' appear in a banner behind his head. Circular insets in the two upper corners of the window show, respectively, a map of the world marked with latitude and longitude lines and a flying airplane, which casts a shadow on the ground in the form of a cross."

November 11, 1929 - World War I Memorial, Licht Judicial Complex , Providence, Rhode Island (USA). 150 feet tall and capped by a female figure symbolizing peace.

May 24, 1931 - War Memorial, West Broad & Main Streets, Stratford, Connecticut (USA). "Features a female allegorical figure representing patriotism & peace... Intended to honor the local men & women who served in the country’s wars, including the first World War (during which Stratford 630 residents served & 13 lost their lives). The monument’s sculptor, Willard Paddock, was a Kent resident who was charged by the committee to create a monument to peace. Paddock’s monument depicts a seated figure holding a large shield, decorated with stars and an eagle, in her left arm. The shield is protecting a dove, which symbolizes peace. Her lap is decorated with oak leaves and stars symbolizing local residents lost in combat. Her right hand once held a sword, which was reportedly removed after the monument’s completion because some felt it was not in keeping with the monument’s peace theme. The hilt of the former sword is still visible."

1931 - World War Memorial, Dedham, Massachusttts (USA). "A large crowd gathered for the dedication ceremony of a memorial erected to honor those Dedham soldiers who died in the World War... (Dedham Transcript May 22, 1931). Design by Frederick Warren Allen [1888-1961]. Patriotism was strong & the American spirit craved expression of the ideals of courage, bravery, service & sacrifice for one’s country... PAX reads the inscription, the idealistic goal of war. Victory & triumph are ours, indicates the raised arm & the palm branch. After the horrors of war, these hopeful symbols are uplifting. Allen believed that if a sculpture is perfect & beautiful in itself, it uplifts the viewer & gives a feeling of comfort. Just the composition itself can give a sensation of harmony & balance. The original design was more ambitious. Budget constrictions required a smaller memorial. The stone tower drawn by Allen was larger & more complicated in its stepped panels. The figure was more detailed, more serious in demeanor & more complex in its draping... The inscription was changed from “Pax Victis” [as in right image] or “Peace Victorius” to simply Pax (Peace)."

1933 - Peace Monument, Mount Greylock, Massachusetts (USA). Also called "Veterans War Memorial Tower." Text of plaque: "'A Beacon Standing for Peace' In 1931, the state set aside funds for a memorial to honor Massachusetts men and women who had died during the World War. Originally designed as a lighthouse for Boston's Charles River estuary, the tower's beacon was intented 'to shine each night, perpetually, to honor the memoryof fallen heroes and to guide aviators to their lone night-time journeys over the treacherous mountain range.' It stands as a timeless memorial to casualties of all wars. // When it was built, the beacon was the most powerful light in Massachusetts, and could be seen for 70 miles. The granite tower is 92 feet tall, and the largest blocks weigh eight tons. The tower was formally dedicated by Governor Josepth B. Ely in 1933, before a crown of 1,200 people, in what was called 'the greatest event the mountain has had.'"

1934 - Massachusetts Peace Statue, Memorial Park, Orange, Massachusetts (USA). "This is actually the official peace statue of Massachusetts, designated as such by the legislature in 1998. The 12-foot bronze statue was created by Joseph Pollia in 1934 as a memorial to veterans of World War I. According to Allen Young’s book "North of Quabbin, Revisited," 'The statue depicts a doughboy just returned from the war-torn fields of France. He is seated on a stump with weariness emanating from every line of his body.' Beside him 'stands a typical American schoolboy of perhaps 10 years, who is partially embraced by the soldier’s left arm. He appears to be listening intently to the soldier’s words with fist clenched.' We can only imagine what the soldier is saying to the boy—what anguish he feels. A plaque on the base bears these words: 'It Shall Not Be Again.' Thirteen stars honor Orange veterans who died in the war."

Date? - Global Peace Memorial, Main Street & Ginty Boulevard, Haverhill, Massachusetts (USA). On Sept. 11, 2010, "a Veterans Day parade...will proceed to Monument Square and to the Global Peace Memorial on Ginty Boulevard, where services will be held. A luncheon will follow at the American Legion."

1935 - "Maparium," Mary Baker Eddy Library, Christian Scientist Headquarters, Boston, Massachusetts (USA). Walk-though globe. Names & boundaries of nations are still as they were in 1935.

1939 - Liberty and Peace Monument, Newtown, Connecticut (USA). "Features three pillars rising from a base dominated by benches. A dedication on the west face of the monument’s base reads, 'Newtown remembers with grateful prayers and solemn vows her sacred dead [and] her honored living who ventured all unto death that we might live a republic with independence, a nation with union forever, a world with righteousness and peace for all.' // Surrounded by a series of Honor Roll plaques listing local residents who have served in the Civil War, the [1st] World War, the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Mexican War (in the 1840s), the Spanish-American War, the Mexican Border War (in 1915-16), the Persian Gulf War (1990-91); Vietnam; Korea; and World War II. // The helmeted allegorical figure atop the monument, representing Peace, stands with a flag, a laurel branch and a chain tucked in her arms. // Designed by Franklin L. Naylor, who was also responsible for a war memorial in Jersey City, N.J. More commonly known as the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, but according to the Newtown Historical Society, the artist’s original blueprints list the name as the Liberty and Peace Monument."

1955 - Babson World Globe, Babson College, Babson Park, 231 Forest Street, Wellesley, Massachusetts (USA). 28-foot diameter globe created by college founder Roger Babson [1875-1967] along with "The Great Relief Map," a 65-foot plaster of Paris model of the lower 48 states which accurately matched the curvature of the earth. The globe was restored (and "The Great Relief Map" removed from adjacent Coleman Hall) about 2000. Its new surface was provided by DeLorme of Yarmouth, Maine (USA). Babson is a private business school that offers all undergraduates a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Roger Babson also created the Babson Boulder Trail in the Dogtown section of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Visited by EWL.

1956 - Peace Cross, Holy Land U.S.A., Pine Hill, Waterbury, Connecticut (USA). Photos show the original steel cross. It was replaced 12 years later by a larger, illuminated cross, and the illuminated cross was replaced in 2008."

1959 - Statue of Mary Dyer, Massachusetts State House, Boston, Massachusetts (USA). By Quaker sculptor Sylvia Shaw Judson "The Massachusetts legislature enacted a law that every Quaker in its jurisdiction should be banished on pain of death. Mary Dyer [c1611-1660] was hanged in May 1660 for re-entering that colony, rather than abandon the principles of freedom of speech and conscience." Copies are in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, & Richmond, Indiana.

1965 St. Mary Mother of the Redeemer, 69 Groton Long Point Road, Groton, Connecticut (USA). This Catholic Church obtained the cupola of the Vatican Pavlion after the New York World's Fair.

1964-1965 - "Peace Through Understanding" (Pavilion of the Vatican), New York World's Fair, Flusing Meadow, Queens, New York City, New York (USA). "Designed to have distinct settings for its major exhibits -- Michelangelo's "Pieta" and an early Christian sculpture from the catacombs, "The Good Shepard."

1969 - A. J. Muste Conference Center, Voluntown Peace Trust (VPT), 539 Beach Pond Road, Voluntown, Connecticut (USA), "Built by the New England Committee for Nonviolent Action (NECNVA). Features a large meeting hall with skylights, industrial kitchen, accessible bathroom, covered outdoor porch, and the historic Eugene V. Debs Memorial Library." VPT was created by Marjorie and Robert Swann [1918-2003]. Swann also creaed the E. F. Schumacher Society, Great Barrington, Massachusetts.

1985 - New England Peace Pagoda (Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo), Nipponzan Myohoji Sangha, 100 Cave Hill Road, Leverett, Massachusetts (USA). Entry #458 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001).

Mothers Day 1988 - Peace Abbey, 2 North Main Street, Sherborn, Massachusetts (USA). Three-acre "Multi-faith retreat center" founded by Lewis Randa & Dot Walsh. Includes "Peace Seeds" (prayers for peace of 12 different faiths), Memorial for Unknown Civilians Killed in War, Sacred Cow Animal Rights Memorial, and Conscientious Objectors Hill of Remembrance. Right image shows Pacifist Memorial with Gandhi statue. Makes annual Courgage of Conscience Award. Entry #472 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001).

1989 - Samantha Reed Smith Statue, Augusta, Maine (USA). Click here for Wikipedia article about Samantha Smith [1972-1985]. See 1985 peace garden in Port Huron, Michigan (USA). Entry #366 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001).

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1990 - Library, E. F. Schumacher Society, South Egremont, Massachusetts (USA). A 11,000 volume collection of materials focusing on decentralism and exploring the viability of ecologically, economically, and socially responsible societies, built on the ideal of human scale. Created by Robert Swann [1918-2003]. Swann also created the Voluntown Peace Trust (VPT) in Voluntown, Connecticut (qv).

1992 - Portuguese Navigators Monument, Brenton Point, Newport, Rhode Island (USA). "Oceanfront monument celebrating world navigators." "Representative of an armillary sphere, an ancient navigational instrument used by the exploreres and still displayed today on the flag of Portugal." "Sphere representing the three fourths of the world that the Portuguese navigators discovered." Approved by the Chistopher Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee Commission in 1988.

1993 - Seeds of Peace Camp, Otisfield, Maine (USA). Created by journalist John Wallach [1943-2002] on site of former Camp Powhatan to bring together Arab & Israeli teenagers for summer programs. Now includes children from opposite sides of many conflicts from around the world. Has offices in New York City, Jerusalem, Amman, Lahore, Mumbai & Kabul.

October 2, 1994 - Pacifist Memorial, Peace Abbey, Sherborn, Massachsetts (USA). Six radiating brick walls surrounding a statue of Mahatma Gandhi by Ludo Goudjabidze. The walls contain the names of and quotations from famous pacifists. Dedcated on 125th anniversary of Gandhi's birth. Entry #471 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001).

July 23, 1998 - "Eartha," DeLorme, Interstate-95, Yarmouth , Maine (USA). "World's largest revolving/rotating globe." Entire surface is composite of satellite imagery. Visited by EWL.

Date? - Yushien / Japanese Peace Garden, between Kirby & Webster Halls, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts (USA). Recognizes the special relationship between Doshisha University & Amherst College.

April 30, 2000 - Sugihara Memorial Garden, Temple Emeth, Chestnut Hill, South Brookline, Masschusetts (USA). The conservative Jewish temple holds an annual Sugihara Memorial Concert. Shiune Sugihara [1900-1986] was a Japanese diplomat who helped thousands of Jews leave the Soviet Union while serving as consul of the Empire of Japan in Lithuania.

2000 - "Freedom Schooner Amistad," New Haven, Connecticut (USA). La Amistad (Spanish for "Friendship") was a ship taken over in July 1839 by African captives being transported from Havana to Puerto Principe, Cuba. The Africans & the ship were later captured off Long Island by the US Revenue Cutter Service, La Amistad became a symbol in the movement to abolish slavery, and a US Supreme Court case over the status of the Africans took place in 1841, as importation of slaves into the US had been prohibited since 1808." "In 1998-2000, Mystic Seaport built a recreation christened "Freedom Schooner Amistad." The ship's mission is to educate the public on the history of slavery, discrimination, and civil rights. Her homeport is New Haven, where the Amistad trial took place. She also travels to other port cities for educational opportunities."

May 2002 - Peace Monument, Mandel Peace Garden, Brandeis University, Walham, Massachusetts (USA). Dove mosiac is now the logo of the university's Peace, Conflict & Coexistence Studies Program. "There are approximately 40 different language bricks [and] hopes to add approximately 20 more language bricks (including American Sign Language & Braile), various cultural symbols of peace, a dedication plaque & a 'peace tree.'"

June 2002 - Piedmont Peace Wall, Austin & Newbury Streets, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA). "12 ft. x 5 ft. Created [by Hillary Sloate Mosaics of Washington, DC] with Piedmont neighborhood residents. Thank you Worcester Common Ground, Pleasant St. Network Center, RC Rheault Construction, & Tom Lewis. Worcester T & G. Restored summer 2008."

2002 - Templvm Pacis / Peace Temple, Inner Park, Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Boylston, Massachusetts (USA). "A classical, pillared structure commemorating world historic events & honoring men & women who have passed in service to their country. Small candlelight ceremonies are held on significant dates for those who would like to reflect & meditate."

2002? - Peace Monument, Kellogg Hubbard Library, Montpelier, Vermont (USA). "A high quality youth Service Learning project proposed by Joseph Gainza from the American Friends Service Committee."

M E M O R I A L September 11, 2003 - "One World United for Peace," Town Common, Norfolk, Massachusetts (USA). September 11th Memorial. Sculpted by Michael Alfano. Bronze & granite 78"x30"x30". "The sculpture's shape implies that of the World Trade Center. Thirteen figures atop the tower surround & support a globe, symbolizing that peace requires people from around the world to draw together. The sculpture rests on a five-sided base, representing the Pentagon, & the '93' on the firefighter's hat symbolizes the flight number of the hijacked plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. In 2006, the town of Clifton, New Jersey, permanently installed the 9/11 memorial at their Arts Center."

September 23, 2004 - "Garden of Peace Memorial," Boston, Massachusetts (USA). Commemorates all victims of homicide. Middle image shows "Ibis Ascending" ("a skyward sculpture representing hope").

In Progress - "Big Book: Pages for Peace Project", Groton-Dunstable Regional School District, Groton, Massachusetts (USA). "In October 2004, eight fifth grade students started making a book filled with student literary offerings that would be accepted into the Guinness ,Book of World Records. Today, members of the "Bookmakers and Dreamers Club" ae well on their way to creating the world's largest book - and to focus its subject on world peace. Each page will be 12 feet tall by 10 feet wide. Hundreds of liters of ink will be required to cover 90-square feet on each of 500-double sided pages." The students recently received letters from Blase Bonpane, Howard Zinn, Danny Schechter, Leslie Cagan, Dahr Jamail, Lucinda Marshall, Kathy Kelly, Fr. Roy Bourgeois, Cathy Hoffman, Sayre Sheldon, Helen Caldicott & Desmond Tutu. They have also heard from Jimmy Carter, the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou & Martin Sheen, along with hundreds of everyday people.

2007 - "History of Labor in the State of Maine," Maine State Museum, Augusta, Maine (USA). 11 panel mural measuring 36 feet in length & nearly 8 feet tall. Names of the 11 panels: The Apprentice, Lost Childhood, The Textile Workers, The Secret Ballot, First Labor's Day, The Woods Workers, The 1937 [Shoe Workers] Strike, Frances Perkins, Rosie the Riveter, The [Paper Mill] Strike of 1986, and The Future of Labor in Maine. "In the summer of 2007, I...was selected to do the commission [for the Department of Labor reception area]. Along the way, I met some wonderful, and dedicated people. I also got an excellent education in Maine History." // "On March 23, 2011, Governor LePage sparked protests when he announced that he planned to remove the mural... The artist, Judy Taylor, stated, "There was never any intention to be pro-labor or anti-labor, it was a pure depiction of the facts." LePage also announced that he plans to rename conference rooms that have carried the names of historic leaders of American labor, as well as former Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins, the first woman cabinet member in American history & whose parents were natives of Maine. The governor's spokesman explained that the mural and the conference-room names were 'not in keeping with the department's pro-business goals.' Despite protests, on March 28 it was disclosed that the murals had been removed over the weekend."

April 28, 2008 - "Painting from the Same Palette," Campus Center Room, University of Massachusetts (UMass), Amherst, Massachusetts (USA). "Painted for the UMass Legal Studies department. Depicts Ireland’s war conflict in blue, while the foreground of the picture shows Devenny’s grandchildren & Ervine’s children in vibrant colors, holding banners that promote moving ahead of the conflict & making peace with each other." Painted by two artists whose communities were previously at war, Danny Devenny, former Irish Republican Army (IRA) prisoner, & Mark Ervine, son of David Ervine, former Progressive Unionist Party leader & Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) member... Unveiled [in coordination with events celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement] to a standing-room-only crowd & the muralists joining via videoconference from Belfast."

May 31, 2008 - "Million Penny Project," Groton-Dunstable Middle School, Groton, Massachusetts (USA). Clear acrylic 5x6 foot container filled 2 feet deep with 1,500,000 US pennies, representing each of the 1,500,000 Jewish children killed during the Holocaust. Inspired by the paper clip project in Whitwell, Tennessee (qv), students of teacher Niki Rockwell began collecting pennies in 2006. Donations were received from Polish Holocaust survivor Norman Salsitz, Russian Jewish descendent A. Raymond Tye, and many others. Info & image courtesy of Jayme Kulesz.

October 17, 2008 - Bernard Lown Peace Bridge, Lewiston, Maine (USA). "Honors Dr. Bernard Lown, a world-renowned cardiologist & peace activist. Born in Lithuania on June 7, 1921, Dr. Lown and his family emigrated to the USA in 1935 & settled in Lewiston, Maine. He pioneered numerous life-savings advances in cardiology, including the direct current defibrillator. A life-long peace activist and humanitarian, Dr. Lown founded Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) in 1961, SatelLife, and ProCor. He co-founded International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) in 1980 with Russian physician Dr. Evgueni Chazov. The two doctors received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985 on behalf of IPPNW."

May 1, 2010 - Peace Mural, Campus Center Reading Room, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts (USA). By Danny Devenny & Mark Ervine. "Designed to reflect the ideas of UMass students who submitted their thoughts on a blog & through public Skype meetings with the artists over the course of the past year. The main theme of the mural, according to the artists, is to represent diversity & the students of UMass."

March 2012 - "Center & Archives for Peace, Social Action, Public Policy & the Arts," Joseph P. Healey Library (5th Floor), University of Massachusetts Boston (UMB), Columbia Point, Dorchester neighborhood, Boston, Massachusetts (USA). "The Peace Abbey in the center of Sherborn [qv] is for sale, & the owners are ready to accept an offer from anyone willing to pay the asking price of $999,900 to get out from under the debt that’s plagued the institution for years. Over the past five years the property has been put on the market periodically, as financial woes burdened the institution owned by the Life Experience School in Millis; it was founded in 1988 to promote pacifism & social justice & is internationally known for honoring peace activists with their Courage of Conscience Award. But unlike in the past, when the price tag topped $5 million and its owners were looking for a group or individual to buy the property & allow the abbey’s work to continue unhindered, financial reality & the threat of foreclosure means the property will be sold in total or in pieces, with no conditions attached. Abbey founder Lewis Randa said last week he expects to move many of the program’s artifacts, such as the peacemakers table, out of Sherborn by the end of the month... UMB librarian Daniel Ortiz-Zapata said his facility will provide space for abbey artifacts, Randa’s personal papers, conscientious objector files, books & other items, which will be archived with a collection from social justice movements. The peacemakers table will be kept on the UMass library’s fifth floor, where students studying peace movements can sit in the same seats that significant historical figures such as Mother Teresa once sat." [As quoted from Boston Globe, March 18, 2012.]

September 20, 2013 - Dixwell Peace Monument, Wexler-Grant Community School, 55 Foote Street, New Haven, Connecticut (USA). "Local officials joined with the entire student body of the K-8 school & the New Haven Peace Commission to unveil the monument. The ceremony was one of the ways New Haven, a founding member of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities (IAPMC) participated in International Peace Day, which is September 21."

September 27, 2014 - Slavery Memorial, Front Green, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island (USA). "Granite and ductile cast iron. Recognizes Brown University’s connection to the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the work of Africans and African-Americans, enslaved and free, who helped build our university, Rhode Island, and the nation."

Future - Newtown Peace Park, Newtown, Connecticut (USA). Virtual "peace park"? "Newtown, Conn. (PRWEB) January 17, 2013: 'Newtown Connecticut resident and musician Julie Lyonn Lieberman launches a fundraising campaign to create a Newtown Peace Park Memorial Educational Website & free digital book to honor & support the community of Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting victims slain on December 14, 2012, in Newtown.'"

Future - "Peace Offering," Artist's studio, Hopkinton, Massachusetts (USA). Bench in form of a dove with outstretchd hands and the tail of a hawk (representing hostility). By Michael Malfano. "This sculpture represents some of the many aspects of attaining peace. It is a expression of Michael's Soka Gakkai Buddhist practice, with the intention of contributing to peace and culture." (5'7" x 2'9" x 1'7" Bronze, $25,000, Ltd. Ed. of 25, Resin, $6,000, Ltd. Ed. of 100)

Future? - "Building Peace One Piece at a Time", Studio of David Fichter, 20 Worcester Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts (USA). Project by students of muralist David Fichter. Intended for permanent installation? See two peace murals by Fichter in Atlanta, Georgia (USA).

Future - "12 Stones Peace Monument," Springfield, Massachusetts (USA). "America has always wanted peace, yet its history is marred by war. It has become a warrior culture marked by battlefields and war memorials, on town commons, to those who have served and died for our country. After nearly three centuries of war 12 Stones Peace Monument memorializes what thousands have died for: a lasting peace."