In the southeast corner of Washington Square Park stands a bronze figure whose legacy quietly shaped both a nation across the Atlantic and a community right here in New York. General Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807–1882), the fiery 19th-century patriot who helped unify Italy, is immortalized in this statue — a tribute not only to his revolutionary vision, but to the Italian immigrants who saw in him a symbol of resilience, identity, and hope.

The Italian community dedicated the statue on June 4, 1888. The New York Times reported: “Our adopted citizens do not forget the illustrious [sic] of their native lands, and feel a pride in associating their renown with this city of their choice.”