NEW YORK - A monumental moment for women. 

The unveiling of a new statue of women's rights pioneers Susan B Anthony, Sojourner Truth and Elizabeth Cady Stanton took place Wednesday on the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

What You Need To Know

  • The first statue in Central Park of real women: 19th century maverick Susan B Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Sojourner Truth

  •  Created by Meredith Bergmann, it was forged in bronze and shows Truth speaking, Anthony organizing and Stanton writing

  • Seven years ago, a group of activists organized to push local governments to do more to honor women raised $1.5 million for this statue

  • The statue is being unveiled on the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote

These women made history in their lifetimes, and they make history again as the first real women to be the subject of a statue in Central Park. The group “Monumental Women” had fought for the statue for the past 7 years.

Finally, they prevailed. 

"Little Black and brown girls can walk in Central Park, and little girls in general can walk in Central Park, and see someone who looks like them and fought diligently and passionately for the rights for women to vote," said Judaline Cassidy, a board member of Monumental Women.

Activists, politicians and descendants attended, including a surprise appearance by former NY Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and the great-great-granddaughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Coline Jenkins. 

"Elizabeth decided as a child to go into her father's law office and cut out those nasty paragraphs from the law books that made women so unhappy," said Jenkins.

More than 40 million people visit Central Park park each year and now those who come by Literary Walk off 72nd street will face these women who worked tirelessly in New York to fight for equal rights. 

Artist Meredith Bergmann, a lifelong New Yorker, sculpted the 19th century mavericks to reflect their joint accomplishments and their individuality.

Stanton, Anthony, and Truth were all leading suffragists who gave voice and fire to the push for women's right to vote and for the end of slavery as well.

"Sojourner is knitting, which she is shown doing in all of the photographs she had taken of herself," said Bergmann. "Susan Anthony's traveling bag, which she stuffed full of papers for her organizing, and Stanton's books; she was the writer and philosopher of the movement." said Bergmann, describing the sculpture of the three women.

Monumental Women continues its effort looking beyond Central Park to shine a light on the often overlooked contributions of women like these throughout the city and country.