Photos by Aidan Gallo
Dr. Rae Alexander-Minter speaks about her mother’s legacy at City Hall on July 30, 2025. Her mother, Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander, was the first Black woman in the United States to receive a Ph.D. in economics, pass the bar in Pennsylvania, and practice law. Her father, Raymond Pace Alexander, was one of the first African American graduates of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Vinnie Bagwell, sculptor and selected artist for the new Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander statue, claps as Valerie V. Gray, Chief Cultural Officer of Creative Philadelphia, speaks at City Hall on July 30, 2025. Out of five finalists, Creative Philadelphia and the Sadie T.M. Alexander Statue Selection Committee chose Bagwell’s design mock-up of the “First Lady of the Law.” “Her outstretched hand will symbolize welcome, empowerment, and the act of inspiring change,” Bagwell said.
Mayor Cherelle Parker shares a moment with Dr. Rae Alexander-Minter, daughter of Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander, at City Hall on July 30, 2025.
Read also: Sadie Alexander Statue Significance And Recent Updates
Dr. Rae Alexander-Minter is recognized during the unveiling of the Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander statue at City Hall on July 30, 2025.
Mayor Cherelle Parker embraces Vinnie Bagwell after revealing Bagwell’s statue design at City Hall on July 30, 2025.
Members of Creative Philadelphia, the Sadie T.M. Alexander Statue Selection Committee, and family members of Dr. Rae Alexander-Minter pose for a group photo at City Hall on July 30, 2025.
Sculptor Vinnie Bagwell speaks with Mayor Cherelle Parker inside the Creative Philadelphia Art Gallery at City Hall on July 30, 2025. Commissioned by Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration, the statue of Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander is expected to be installed at Thomas Paine Plaza later this year or by fall 2026.
Dr. Rae Alexander-Minter stands at a reception held at the Creative Philadelphia Art Gallery, located inside City Hall, on July 30, 2025. “I don’t know how to tell you how I feel; it feels like she’s here.” Dr. Alexander-Minter remarked about her mother at the reception.
