Journalists who have lost their lives while reporting will soon have a new memorial, thought to be the first memorial of its kind in the United States.
An area consisting of a one-third acre of land between the National Museum of the American Indian and the Voice of America Building in Southwest Washington has been designated as the future home of the fallen journalists memorial.
The Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation was launched in 2018, spearheaded by former U.S. Representative and Tribute Publishing Company Chairman David Dreier. According to a press release on the foundation’s website, the memorial will be funded entirely through private donations. A public comment period with the National Park Service is open through May 5.
With a planned opening in 2028 and a budget of up to $50 million, the memorial will honor slain journalists and give their loved ones a place to reflect on their loss.
Barbara Cohen, President of the Foundation, was pleased to see the project starting to materialize with the location approval.
“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,” Cohen said. “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 that died in service to that cause.”
Dreier thanked members of Congress for their support.
“I am proud that we have achieved this important milestone in near record time,” Dreier said. “We could not have done it without the support and partnership of our bipartisan champions in Congress, my former colleagues Ben Cardin, Grace Napolitano, Tom Cole, Rob Portman and Chris Van Hollen.”
Paul Goldberger, a Pulitzer Prize-winning architect, is overseeing the design selection process. Potential architects, artists and designers are currently being selected by the foundation for the project.
According to Statistica, over 1,800 journalists died while reporting around the world between 1995 and 2022.
