John J. Pershing General of the Armies, (sculpture).

John J. Pershing General of the Armies, (sculpture).

White, Robert Winthrop, 1921-2002, sculptor.

Harrison, Wallace Kirkman, 1895-1981, architect.

Harbeson, John F., architect.

Harrison & Abramovitz, architectural firm.

Modern Art Foundry, founder.

Providence Granite Company, fabricator.

John J. Pershing General of the Armies, (sculpture).

Cast 1983. Dedicated Oct. 1983.

Sculpture: bronze; Base: Dakota mahogany granite.

Sculpture: approx. 108 x 28 x 28 in.; Base: approx. 51 x 53 x 53 in.; Wall facing rear of sculpture: approx. H. 10 ft. W. 3 ft. L. 31 1/2 ft.; Wall facing left side of sculpture: approx. H. 10 ft. W. 3 ft. L. 49 ft.

(Sculpture, top front right side of platform:) ROBERT WHITE '83 (Base, front center:) 1860/1948 signed

Standing portrait of General Pershing with his head turned slightly to the proper left as he scans the battlefield. He raises field glasses up to his eyes with his proper right hand and holds his hat at his side with his proper left hand. He wears a World War I army uniform consisting of knickers, tall boots, and a long belted jacket. He steps forward with his proper left foot. Sculpture rests on a square red granite base inside a plaza flanked by two perpendicular granite walls. The wall facing the back of the sculpture is inscribed with Pershing's tribute to the men of the Expeditionary Forces. The wall facing the left side of the sculpture is inscribed with text and maps which detail General Pershing's participation in WWI, the organization of the U.S. 1st Army under his command, the launch of the general offensive on the western front, the Meuse-Argonne campaign, and the signing of the armistice.

Portrait male -- Pershing, John J. -- Full length

Occupation -- Military -- General

Dress -- Uniform -- Military Uniform

Dress -- Accessory -- Eye wear

History -- United States -- World War II

Outdoor Sculpture -- District of Columbia -- Washington

Administered by United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Washington, District of Columbia

Located Pershing Park, 15 Street & Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia

General Pershing, leader of the American Expeditionary Forces during WWI, was known as "Black Jack," a title earned for his stern demeanor. Pershing taught at West Point and later led the 10th Cavalry, a troop of African-American soldiers, through fighting in Cuba. When he returned home President Teddy Roosevelt promoted him to brigadier general. This sculpture was authorized by Congress on April 2, 1956. John F. Harbeson was the consulting architect on the piece. Providence Granite Company was responsible for the stone work. The American Battle Monuments Commission paid the $400,000 cost of the sculpture and granite walls. The American Battle Monuments Commission, an organization formed in 1923 and initially headed by Pershing, builds European memorials honoring soldiers of the American Expeditionary Forces.

IAS files contain related articles from the Washington Post, May 3, 1981, pg. C-7 which includes a sketch of the yet to be installed sculpture and describes the life of General Pershing; and the Washington Post, May 14, 1981, pg. DC-1. Although Pershing Park was dedicated on May 14, 1981, the sculpture of General Pershing was not cast and installed until 1983. IAS files contain an excerpt from Jannelle Warren-Findley's Aug. 1, 1985 report for the National Park Service entitled, "A Guide to Selected Statues, Monuments and Memorials," National Capital Parks - Central, National Park Service, Washington, D.C. (RFQ 3-4-1919) which includes a brief list of bibliographic sources, and notes to additional information found in National Park Service files.

Inscription on wall facing rear of sculpture reads: JOHN J. PERSHING/GENERAL OF THE ARMIES. Back of this wall reads: IN THEIR DEVOTION, THEIR VALOR, AND IN THE LOYAL FULFILLMENT OF THEIR/OBLIGATIONS, THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES/HAVE LEFT A HERITAGE OF WHICH THOSE WHO FOLLOW MAY EVER BE PROUD/JOHN J. PERSHING/(Pershing's signature). Wall facing the left side of the sculpture is divided into four panels which contain extensive text regarding: 1) the U.S. entrance into WWI on April 6, 1917 and a map with the heading: THE WESTERN FRONT; 2) a description of the U.S. First Army under Pershing's command on September 12, 1917 to the signing of the armistice on November 11, 1918; 3) more text and a map with the heading: MEUSE-ARGONNE CAMPAIGN; 4) a description of the September 18 launching of a general offensive by the Allied Forces known as the Meuse-Argonne Campaign. Inscription on the right end of the wall facing left side of sculpture reads: ERECTED BY:/AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION/WALLACE K. HARRISON ARCHITECT/FREDERICK (...transcription illegible)/ENGINEER/ROBERT WHITE SCULPTOR/1983

Save Outdoor Sculpture, District of Columbia survey, 1994.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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