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Home , Zenos Frudakis

CLARENCE DARROW Commemorative Statue Dedication & Unveiling Ceremony

Artist’s concept rendering, courtesy of Frudakis Studio

Rhea County Courthouse, Dayton, July 14, 2017 DEDICATION PROGRAM 9:45 AM 10:10 AM Welcome Music Provided by Andrew Kersten, Historian Dan Barker 10:20 AM 10:00 AM John de Lancie, Actor Welcome and Introductions Margaret Downey, Emcee 10:30 AM Zenos Frudakis, Sculptor 10:05 AM Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor 10:40 AM Freedom From Religion Foundation Unveiling of Statue and Co-Presidents Photo Opportunities

The of has been donated to the . We thank the Rhea County Historical & Genealogical Society for all its efforts on behalf of this project.

Artist’s concept rendering, courtesy of Frudakis Studio WHY WE ARE HERE

n 1925, two giants of the legal profession met in Dayton, Tennessee, to discuss in court the polemic surrounding teaching religion in the Ipublic schools. The (The State of Ten- nessee v. John Thomas Scopes) is memorialized in the classic 1960 film, Inherit the Wind. , a candidate for president supported by Clarence Darrow, was honored with a sculpture commissioned by Bryan College and created by Cessna Decosimo in 2005 for the Rhea County Courthouse. Today, thanks to the financial support primarily of many members of the Freedom From Religion Foundation across the nation and abroad, a like- ness of Clarence Darrow completes the historical record at the Rhea County Courthouse. The bronze figure of Darrow and the bronze relief on the granite base were sculpted by Zenos Frudakis. In his artistic rendition, Frudakis sought to highlight an equal relationship between the Bryan and Darrow . In scale, both the Bryan and Darrow sculptures are ten feet high. We thank everyone who helped make this possible. On the following page we acknowledge major individuals, organizations, and businesses for their role in the creation of this sculpture. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor Co-Directors of The Freedom From Religion Foundation Jennifer Bardi Editor of The Humanist Magazine Steve Cass Frudakis Studio Margaret Downey Freedom From Religion Foundation Board Member and President of the Freethought Society William Dusenberry Freedom From Religion Foundation Celebrant, Tulsa, Oklahoma Fred Edwords Director of The Humanist Foundation Freedom From Religion Foundation (including their many local, national and international donors) Laran Bronze Foundry J. Craig Nannos The Sentry Post Rhea County Historical and Genealogical Society Roy Speckhardt Executive Director of the American Humanist Association

We join together with the citizens of Dayton and Rhea County in celebration of the history made here in 1925 and extend thanks for the warm Southern-style hospitality. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS THE SCULPTOR’S STUDIO

Photo courtesy of Frudakis Studio Sculptor Zenos Frudakis at his studio working on the clay model of Clarence Darrow. ENDORSEMENT STATEMENTS

Off and on for three years, I played Clarence Darrow opposite Ed Asner’s William Jennings Bryan. We toured the country. I came to appreciate (although I did not agree with) Bryan’s concern that science in general and evolution in particular robs us of “miracles.” For Bryan, the miracles of the Bible were enough and, as he famously asserted, he did not like to “think about things (he) did not think about.” Thankfully, Darrow was there to remind us that knowledge must not submit to a religious test lest we would find ourselves “marching backwards to the sixteenth century.” I stand in awe of the miracles revealed to us today — through science. — John de Lancie, Actor Continued on next page ENDORSEMENT STATEMENTS

Nearly 100 years ago, William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow sparred over the teaching of evolution in Dayton, Tennessee. Adding a Darrow statue to the Rhea County Courthouse is an appropriate move, and I commend the county for fostering an honest recounting of the events of 1925. Although they were antagonists during that hot summer, Bryan and Darrow shared some things in common – mainly, both stood up for the poor, the neglected and the downtrodden. It’s my hope that the addition of the Darrow statue alongside the one of Bryan will spur visitors to Rhea County to explore the lives of both men further and to learn more about the epic clash between them that still resonates today. — Rob Boston, Director of Communications, Americans United for Separation of Church and State

We at Americans United supported the campaign to bring Darrow to Dayton, and we are pleased to see this statue being erected alongside Bryan’s. These two men deserve to stand side by side – as they did one hot summer many years ago in a case that has left an indelible mark on American law and culture. For the sake of historical accuracy, it’s fitting that Clarence Darrow is gracing the courthouse square in Dayton, Tenn., along with William Jennings Bryan. Both of these men were crucial figures in the 1925 Scopes trial that captured the imagination of the nation. — The Reverend Barry W. Lynn, Executive Director, Americans United for Separation of Church and State

Zenos Frudakis began his sculpture of Clarence Darrow in my house in Camden, Maine. I am very proud to have had him as a close friend for over thirty years. He is a truly great artist and an American treasure. — Don McLean, Singer/Songwriter

We can’t “monkey” around with the truth & it’s great that both sides will be represented in this embrace of history. — Kevin Spacey, Actor

I am very pleased to learn that Rhea County will finally have a statue before its courthouse depicting Clarence Darrow, the legendary attorney and crusader for individual rights and freedoms and for science. It is very appropriate that his statue be there, near his opponent, William Jennings Bryan, because together they made history in this spot and put Dayton, Tennessee, on the map and in the history books. Darrow’s courageous stand for science and rationality is a beacon to those of us who wish to see facts and reason guide our decisions, and make sure that the forces of anti-science do not prevail. At great ENDORSEMENT STATEMENTS personal risk, he took on an unpopular cause, and brilliantly tried his case, despite setbacks when the judge denied the relevance of his witnesses, all Christian geologists and biologists. He turned this disaster into a triumph, and his brilliance has been an inspiration to all of us ever since. No matter how much public opinion swings back and forth, we always need people like Clarence Darrow to make sure that the laws and Constitution are respected and followed, and that good science and rationality are at the center of our public education system. On this historic day, we honor his deeds at this very spot with a statue which will remind all of us to stand up for science and truth, no matter how unpopular, or what the personal cost. Congratulations to the citizens of Rhea County for honoring him, and best wishes to all those attending the unveiling ceremony. — Dr. Donald R. Prothero, Research Associate in Vertebrate Paleontology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

The installation of the statue of Clarence Darrow in Dayton, Tennes- see, will help memorialize the importance of what happened here in 1925. It was a historic moment when a national debate about the role of religion and the role of public education squared off in small town, rural America. It was a moment when two leading American citizens engaged in a public debate. The Scopes case has become a touchstone for Americans interested in the Bill of Rights as well as the political and social forces that shape modern life. Despite his long career in defense of civil rights, of civil liberties, and of those ensnared in the legal system, no other Darrow statues have been erected. It is easier to forget the iconoclasts than to remember them. The debates never end. Every controversy that Darrow engaged — from capital punishment to pacifism to civil rights — remains very much with us. As William Faulkner once said, “The past is not dead; it’s not even past.” This annual event now with both its orators cast in metal should remind us all that their world is still our world. The statues are as much cultural road signs as they are a nod to the historic importance of a courtroom drama. Future generations will appreciate the work done here at the installation. TheScopes trial stands as testimony to the great American traditions of public debate, about the role of the courts in mediating great issues, and about citizens’ willingness to engage in deciding for themselves the future of the nation. —Andrew E. Kersten, biographer, Clarence Darrow: American Iconoclast Commemorative program designed by Margaret Downey and Roger Daleiden Published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation PO Box 750, Madison, WI 53701 | ffrf.org