Evening star., 1922-05-14
WILL ERECT SHRINE
FOR COLORED RACE
Statue Of Pietro AIonzo, Who
Sailed With Columbus,
to Be Built Here.

In recognition of the colored citi-
zens of the United States statue of
one of that race. Pietro Alonzo, who
sailed as pilot with Christopher CO.
lumbus on his voyage of discovery,
will be erected in the triangle bound
ed by Vermont avenue, U and 10th
streets northwest.
Announcement to this effect was
made yesterday afternoon by Col. c.
o. Sheriff., superintendent OF public
buildings and grounds. At the same
time Francis Wells, president OF the
Blaine Invincible Republican Club OF
this city, which has been a factor in
republican politics for more than
forty years, and under whose aus
Dices funds will be raised through
out the country with which to erect
this handsome memorial, announced
that 1t is expected to cost at least q
quarter of a million dollars.
The choice of Pietro Alonzo as the
representative of his race was made
after consideration by committee
which Is composed of President Wells
Daniel Murray of the Congresslon onal
Library and ]. N. Anderson, busi-
Va. -.
Pilot for Columbus.
Alonzo is credited by a number OF
historians and other authorities with
having been the pilot of the Nina
of the feet of Christopher Columbus
on his first voyage to America.
Speaking for the committee last
night, President Wells said this Afri-
can-born man, who later became
resident of Portugal and was acclaim. ].
cd one of the greatest navigators OF
his age because of his important part
in the discovery of America, well de-
serves this recognition. and at the
same time is entitled to more con-
spicuous place in history. He Is sat
isfied that the selection will prove a
popular one among the colored citl-
zens throughout the country. He
stated that already he has received
comments of praise from many quar-
ters because of the selection. He ex-
planned that the committee in max
ing the decision was averse to Sc
lecting some one of a more modern
period because of the differences OF
opinion that naturally would arise re-
garding his fitness.
Model Must Be Submitted.
In consenting to the erection here
o
ing the site selected by the committee,
Col. Sheriff. explained that before the
actual work of construction will be
permitted to proceed a model Of the
proposed statue, and a design of the
base must first be approved by the
Fine Arts Commission, of which he
is executive secretary.
Colored sculptors will very shortly be
invited to submit designs and in the
meantime the campaign for raising the
necessary fund will be underway in
practically every state in the union.
President Wells expects to have the CO.
operation and support Of other promi-
nent colored organizations In different
sections, in raising the fund.
According to the historical informa-
ton furnished Col. Sheriff. regarding
Pietro Aionzo by the memorial commit
tee, he was also on the second voyage
of Columbus to America, and after
ward made some explorations Of lesser
importance on his own initiative.
Other Facts ON Career.
The information also sets forth &:
HIS name appeared in the Libretto.
1904, as Pietro Alonzo. il nigro. This
is repeated in Paesi Nouamente Re-
trouati. Venice, 1907. also in Simon
Grynaeus' .Novus Orbis Regionum.'
Basle, 1882. also Peter Martyrs De-
cades,' Seville, 1911. and also in the
German edition Of The Libretto,' 1903.
There the proper names of the entire
crew are Germanized and the African
pilot is called Pero Alonzo. der Schwartz
(meaning, the black). But. there are
and so strong is the array. that no one
can find justification for doubling that
the negro was a factor in the discov-
cry