John Pershing (1860-1848) was commander of US forces in World War I. In 1919 he was awarded the rank "General of the Armies," the highest rank possible in the US military, which was created specially for him.
"A Soldier's Journey" depicts a series of scenes based on the myth of "the hero's journey," in which a recurring figure of an American soldier embarks on a quest, wins victory in an epic struggle, and comes home changed by his passage through peril. The soldier also represents, on a second level, the American experience of World War I. This illustration shows the artistic process from initial sketch, to clay sculpture, to finished bronze.
The Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation dedicated Pershing Park in 1981. In the intervening years, planners had changed the purpose of the block from a memorial to a place for many activities. A tribute to the general, designed by Wallace Harrison, was included.
The Peace Fountain stands along the western end of the Memorial. The fountain has words in raised letters by Archibald MacLeish, a poet, and Congressional Librarian.
The Bex Eagle, named after its commissioner Brian Bex, was dedicated in 1982. It was sculpted by Lorenzo Ghiglieri in 1980 and given to the National Park Service after its dedication. The eagle commemorates the bicentennial of the bird becoming America’s national symbol.
