---
title: A New Look for a Maryland Icon
date: 2022-10-11T05:30:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/a-new-look-for-a-maryland-icon"
section: Articles
---
# A New Look for a Maryland Icon

*October 11, 2022* — by [Sala Levin ’10](/author/sala-levin-10)


> Frederick Douglass Statue to Undergo Conservation

*Frederick Douglass Removal 10102022 SC 4369 1920x1080 — A conservation crew will remove rust and stains and repair cracks in the bronze Frederick Douglass statue following its removal from its base. The work will be done on site over the next three to four weeks.*

The 7.5-foot-tall bronze likeness of Frederick Douglass is about to move from his perch overlooking Hornbake Plaza. But he won't go far: just about 15 feet from his usual spot. And it won’t be for long: three to four weeks while he and his granite base get spruced up.

Following a painstaking effort that began yesterday to carefully separate the statue from its pedestal, the University of Maryland’s monument to the Maryland-born abolitionist, orator and statesman is undergoing a short conservation process.

A team from Stromberg Conservation will strip its microcrystalline wax, a coating that sculptors often use on outdoor sculptures to protect them from the elements. After cleaning off rust spots and the green patina that naturally forms on bronze, the team will restore the wax coating and place the statue back on its granite pedestal, said Kristy Long, executive director of operations, maintenance and utilities in Facilities Management, which is handling the project.


*passerby watches as Frederick Douglass statue is removed from its pedestal for conservation*




**Topics:** [Campus & Community](https://today.umd.edu/tags/campus-community)


**Tags:** [Historic Preservation](https://today.umd.edu/topic/historic-preservation), [Multicultural Community](https://today.umd.edu/topic/multicultural-community)


**Units:** [School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation](https://today.umd.edu/topic/school-architecture-planning-and-preservation), [Facilities Management](https://today.umd.edu/topic/facilities-management)