Ulysses Simpson Grant Bust (SF)
San Francisco Arts Commission
Ulysses Simpson Grant, 1908
Rupert Schmid aka Rupert Schmidt (1864–1932)
REMOVAL
On Friday, June 19, 2020, protesters tore down and defaced public art in Golden Gate Park. The protesters targeted statues of Francis Scott Key, Junípero Serra, Ulysses S. Grant, and Miguel de Cervantes. With the exception of Cervantes, these works were removed from the park. Today, the Ulysses S. Grant sculpture is being stored away from public view by the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC). The sculpture’s empty plinth remains in Golden Gate Park, opposite Cervantes’s statue.
In response to the protests, Mayor London Breed directed the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC), the Human Rights Commission (HRC), and the Recreation and Parks Department (REC) to evaluate and update policies on monuments and memorials. They created an advisory committee (Monuments and Memorials Advisory Committee), and SFAC reviewed their report in June 2023. In response, SFAC created the Shaping Legacy project, a multi-year commitment to (further) examining SF’s monuments and memorials. The project timeline extends through 2026 and does not include any clear deadline for a decision or action concerning the Grant sculpture.
To voice support for public access to this piece, consider emailing the SFArts Commission:
Subject: Request to Reinstall the Ulysses S. Grant Sculpture
Dear San Francisco Arts Commission,
I urge you to reinstall Rupert Schmid’s Ulysses S. Grant sculpture for public viewing. While Grant was not without flaws, his positive contributions far outweigh his mistakes, especially when compared to figures like Francis Scott Key and Junípero Serra. Grant’s self-awareness and accountability for his past offer a powerful example for modern audiences on handling imperfection. Reinstating his sculpture would honor both his legacy and the lessons we can learn from him.
Thank you for your consideration.