Mayor Mamdani Urged to Reclaim NYC’s Jefferson Statue

In late May 2026, the quill of David d'Angers's 1834 statue of Thomas Jefferson broke while being moved at the New-York Historical Society for the exhibition "Democracy Matters." Repaired with Lascaux 498-X adhesive, the incident occurred during the nation's 250th anniversary. The statue, exiled from New York City Hall since 2021, was commissioned in 1832 by Uriah Phillips Levy, a Jewish naval officer, and gifted to the city in 1834. The article argues Mayor Zohran Mamdani should reclaim the statue for public life, linking Jefferson's rhetoric to democratic and labor movements. It cites historical uses of Jefferson's language by the Working Men's Party, Locofocos, Eugene V. Debs, and Michael Harrington. The author contends that reclaiming the statue could counter MAGA and Silicon Valley authoritarianism, and suggests Mamdani return it to City Hall after the exhibition ends in November.