For the past seven years, the Triumph of the Human Spirit sculpture in Foley Square has been celebrated with an event that offers dance, poetry, song, and more on the second Thursday in October. This celebration’s focus is directed by reflection on African ancestors who came to New York City in bondage and to honor the cultural gifts they bestowed.
The event took place on Thursday, October 8, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. and started with a drum procession that took those present from the African Burial Ground National Monument (290 Broadway) to Foley Square, where the Triumph of the Human Spirit sits.
Dr. Lorenzo Pace was commissioned by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs to create this artwork to call out NYC’s history of African-American slavery and its burial ground in Lower Manhattan. At five-stories-high, and 300 tons, Pace created the world’s largest site-specific outdoor installation dedicated to this discourse. An inspiration for this black granite monument is the Ci Wara, a revered antelope figure in African art. Triumph of the Human Spirit was installed in 2000.
“I built ‘Triumph of the Human Spirit’ as a testament to our ancestors’ perseverance as well as their victory in emerging from the most horrendous conditions to attain their freedom. Together, alongside the Statue of Liberty, this sculpture stands as a powerful symbol of freedom and equity for all in America, and all humanity around the world,” stated Pace at the 25th anniversary of the installation last year.
NYC Council Member Christopher Marte, NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal joined in on this celebration of history and culture. The celebration also included African drummers and a performance from the Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet, a critically acclaimed non-profit dance theatre company dedicated to creating transformative choreography rooted in social justice and the Black cultural experience.
