Artist sought for Winnemucca statue

The search is on for a sculptor to portray Sarah Winnemucca for the U.S. Capitol's National Statuary Hall.

"We are looking for artists to tell us about their work," said Sara Jones, administrator of the State Library & Archives. "Then we will select four or so who would show what they think the statue should look like."

Work has been under way for more than three years to raise money for the statue.

Each state has space for two statues in the Hall, but Nevada is only represented by a statue of Sen. Pat McCarran.

In 2001 Assemblywoman Marcia DeBraga sponsored a successful bill to place Sarah Winnemucca's statue in the hall.

Organizers have raised $62,000 toward the estimated $100,000 cost of the statue.

"We got a really nice bump when the Guinns gave us $5,000 back in April," Jones said. Gov. Kenny and Dema Guinn donated the money at a pink tea held at the Governor's Mansion.

Jones said the goal is to have the statue ready by October 2004 to celebrate Nevada's 140th birthday and recognize 160 years since Sarah Winnemucca's estimated birth.

Once proposals from sculptors are narrowed, Jones said, each will produce a small version of the statue for final judging.

Jones said there is a photo of Winnemucca for artists to base the statue on, but she said they encourage artists to do their own research.

"Someone could decide to do research and find out what she might have dressed in an everyday fashion," Jones said. "Once we know what the statue will look like, that should be the last kick we need for financing."

Winnemucca's statue won't be the only Indian woman in the statuary hall. North Dakota plans to have an 8-foot bronze statue of Sacagawea installed by October.

According to the Nevada Women's History Project, Sarah Winnemucca was born about 1844 to Chief Winnemucca of the northern Paiute tribe, and is described as one of the most influential and charismatic Native American women in American history.

Winnemucca was an interpreter and messenger for the U.S. Army during the Bannack War of 1878 and in 1880 traveled to Washington D.C., to obtain the release of her people from the Yakama reservation. She was the first American Indian woman to write her autobiography in 1883.

When she returned to Nevada she founded a school for Indians whose educational practices and standards were far ahead of its time.

She died in 1891.