The First Lady of Jazz (sculpture)
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| The First Lady of Jazz | |
|---|---|
 The statue in February 2019 | |
 | |
| Year | 1996 |
| Medium | Bronze |
| Subject | Ella Fitzgerald |
| Location | Yonkers, New York, U.S. |
| 40°56′6.7″N 73°54′9.2″W / 40.935194°N 73.902556°W | |
The First Lady of Jazz is a statue of Ella Fitzgerald situated outside the Yonkers Metro-North station in the city of Yonkers in Westchester County, New York, United States. It was unveiled in October 1996; Fitzgerald had died in June 1996 at the age of 79.[1]
The statue is cast in bronze and stands on a two tier granite pedestal. It is 5 feet 10 in height.[1] The statue is life size and depicts Fitzgerald singing with open arms and "snapping fingers" wearing a dress and heels.[2] It is situated on Trolley Barn Plaza at the corner of Buena Vista Avenue and Main Street in Yonkers.[1]
It was sculpted by Vinnie Bagwell. It was Bagwell's first commissioned piece of public art, and became her ninth completed sculpture.[1] The work was commissioned by the Bureau of Community Development and the Office of Downtown and Waterfront Development of Yonkers and was funded by a Federal grant of $25,000.[1]
Fitzgerald grew up in Yonkers and attended Public School 18 and Benjamin Franklin Junior High School. Her family lived on School Street and Park Hill Avenue.[1]
The statue is part of Westchester County's African-American Heritage Trail.[3]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f "In Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, and Yonkers". The New York Times. 20 October 1996. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ Booker, Vaughn (2020). Lift Every Voice and Swing : Black musicians and religious culture in the jazz century. New York University Press. p. 243. ISBN 978-1-4798-9080-4. OCLC 1157083188.
- ^ "Westchester County Guide to African American History & Heritage". Westchester County. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.