Fallen Journalists Memorial approved for National Mall

A memorial to commemorate fallen journalists has been approved by a federal agency to be installed on the National Mall by the end of 2028.

The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts approved the project spearheaded by the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation on Monday with the goal of completing the memorial by the end of 2028. The memorial, which is funded by private donations, will be located between the National Museum of the American Indian and the building for Voice of America in Southwest Washington, D.C.

The site chosen for the memorial has a direct view of the Capitol, meant to symbolize the role of the press in the U.S. The memorial will aim to honor journalists who have died while reporting and also serve as a “focal point” in learning about the First Amendment.

“I want to express my appreciation to the CFA for their diligent review of our site selection study and endorsement of such a preeminent and historically significant site,”  Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation President Barbara Cochran said in a statement.

“The location of this memorial on the National Mall in direct line of sight of the U.S. Capitol will underscore the significance and value our nation places on press freedom and those who died in service to that cause,” she added.

The foundation will be partnering with Pulitzer Prize-recipient and architecture critic Paul Goldberger to select designers and architects to put together the memorial. Goldberger said in a statement that he is “excited” to start the design process, adding that he hopes the team they choose will “honor those who have given their lives for this principle in the course of their work as journalists.”

The foundation will also create online and virtual resources so that people can learn more about the First Amendment and the individuals who died while reporting on the news.

The number of journalists killed around the worked jumped by 50 percent in 2022, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. The committee’s annual report found that 67 journalists were killed around the world, including 41 journalists whose deaths occurred in direct connection with their duties.

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