Philip Reid After Slavery: The Ex-Slave Who Put Freedom Atop the Capitol Faces Uncertainty in Carving a New Life

Philip Reid grew up in slavery near Charleston, South Carolina, where he became a skilled foundry craftsman. He was purchased by Clark Mills, who owned the Clark Mills Foundry of Washington, D.C. Clark Mills received a U.S. Government contract to cast the Statue of Freedom to stand atop the Capitol Dome - so Philip moved to Washington and played a significant role in the casting.

While the progress of the Statue of Freedom was interrupted by the Civil War, the life of Philip Reid was more se...