WUSA9: Social justice artist plants thousands of flags at National Mall for those who died of COVID

From September 17 to October 3, 2021, more than 670,000 small white flags covered the grounds at the northern base of the Washington Monument, each one representing a life lost to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trust for the National Mall was honored to play a part in helping artist Suzanne Firstenberg bring this exhibit, called In America: Remember, to fruition, and to showcase the power that temporary public art installations can have.

Thank you, Lesli Foster of WUSA9 for spotlighting the In America: Remember installation on the National Mall. The Trust was grateful to be joined by Lesli Foster for a Monumental Conversation: Up Close with In America: Remember Creator Suzanne Firstenberg on October 1. Suzanne spoke in-depth about what inspired her to create the installation and how she mounted the campaign to bring this temporary commemorative exhibit to the National Mall, America's premier civic stage. An award-winning journalist, Lesli brought us into some of the stories behind the flags and shared how this exhibit allows viewers to honor loved ones — both in person on the National Mall and from afar — and talked with Suzanne about the healing power of commemorative art installations.

The Trust is committed to ensuring that the National Mall remains a vibrant, engaging and evolving civic stage. The Trust recently received a major grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support a pilot project to create a new model for temporary commemorative works in Washington, DC. The project, called Beyond Granite, will bring a series of 8-10 commemorative installations over the course of 27 months on and around the National Mall and in Washington, DC neighborhoods that fully engage the community in conversation and reflect and honor the diversity of the American people.