Philip Reid Saves The Statue of Freedom

The Statue of Freedom, which sits high atop the dome of the U.S. Capitol, would not be the symbol it is today without the ingenuity of an enslaved African American laborer. Philip Reid was owned by the renowned sculptor Clark Mills and by 1859 was an experienced foundry worker. When Mills was commissioned to cast Freedom in bronze, the two men retrieved the plaster model, only to be met with a conundrum. A room full of craftsmen and engineers were puzzled as to how to dismantle the plaster model for transport without cracking it, thereby making it useless and impossible to cast. Mills offered the expertise of Reid, who, through the use of a tackle and pulley, solved the problem that left so many others perplexed. He not only earned their respect but made a lasting contribution to the heritage of our nation. Commendable in its acknowledgment of the enslaved work force to which we owe much of the nation’s capital, the book nonetheless leaves readers with as many questions as answers. Primary sources are reproduced in the back matter, but they offer little insight into actual events. While directly stating that much remains unknown about Reid’s childhood, the authors still fabricate parts of the story, providing speculative assumptions on the thoughts and feelings of the individuals involved with no supportive evidence. Yet the story remains a testament to how one man’s experience and expertise in his trade can overcome social prejudice and injustice while earning the respect of peers. Christie’s striking, evocative illustrations enhance the text. For collections needing materials on themes presented herein, this is a suitable purchase, albeit secondary.

On December 2, 1863, a bronze statue called Freedom was placed atop the dome of the recently completed
U.S. Capitol Building. But how was it constructed? To answer this question, we must first begin on a
Charleston, South Carolina, farm, where a 10-year-old slave named Philip Reid works with a blacksmith
and a potter, pumping bellows and stoking the kiln. When a craftsman named Clark Mills arrives to create
a plaster molding on the walls and ceilings of Reid’s master’s home, Reid helps by holding the ladder
steady; at the end of the project, Mills buys Philip for $1,500 and makes him his assistant in his
Washington, D.C., foundry casting objects in bronze. The government hires Mills to cast the Freedom
statue, but when they arrive at the Capitol to obtain the plaster model, there’s a problem: nobody can
detect the plaster’s seams and, therefore, can’t dismantle the gigantic statue to move it. But Reid finds a
way. This book about a little-known historical figure and event includes fascinating endpapers, which are
Reid’s purchase papers, and an epilogue featuring Reid’s pay stub from the foundry ($1.25 per day).
Christie’s rich acrylic gouache illustrations evocatively convey Reid’s life as a slave and his work in the
foundry. An important piece of history for kids to know.

As a child, Reid learned to work with clay and wood from an older slave on a plantation in South Carolina. Sold to Clark Mills, a sculptor, Reid mastered the skills required to create bronze statues. When Mills was commissioned to cast the plaster mold of the Statue of Freedom in 1859, he took Reid with him. To everyone’s consternation, the plaster model was in one piece, and the Italian craftsman responsible for this wanted more money to disassemble it into its constituent parts. It was Reid who carefully determined where the seams were so that the mold could be separated and moved to a foundry to be cast. During the Civil War, the statue was placed on the Capitol dome, and slaves in the District of Columbia were granted emancipation. Paperwork from Reid’s owner requesting promised payment for his manumitted slaves is reproduced on the endpapers. Lapham and Walton invent dialogue in their narration, but they make Reid’s work exciting and provide a good picture of what little is known of him. Christie’s paintings are characteristically powerful, more impressionistic than realistic. A photograph of the statue, sources and further reading would have been a plus.
A good introduction to the growing knowledge of the vital role slaves played in building Washington, D.C. (epilogue, authors’ note) (Picture book. 4-7)