The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. is one of the most visited statues dedicated to a Black leader in the United States. However, there are dozens of statues dedicated to Black leaders that are often overlooked around the world. Though these statues may not get as many visitors, the people they represent are no less remarkable. 

In New Haven, Connecticut stands a statue of a king. William Lanson was known as the “Black Governor” of New Haven during the 1820s, a title for Black community leaders throughout New England. Lanson was an exceptional contractor and businessman. In 1825, he helped construct a harbor basin for the new Farmington Canal. A trip across the Atlantic to Halle (Saale), Germany, takes us to the statue of Anton Wilhelm, the first African-born philosopher to teach at a German university. From the first Black American to publish a novel in the United States, to a young leader who fought for equality, here are seven statues to visit this month.