The City of Royal Oak will unveil a monument honoring Elizabeth Hamer, a freedom seeker and one of the city’s earliest pioneers. The ceremony will take place on:
- When: Monday, September 23, 2024, at 2:00 p.m.
- Where: Hamer Finch Wilkins Park, located at Beechwood Drive and Crooks Road, Royal Oak.
The unveiling coincides with International Underground Railroad Month. In 2023, the burial sites of Henry and Elizabeth Hamer at Royal Oak Cemetery were officially added to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
The monument was crafted by Austen Brantley, a Detroit-based, self-taught sculptor known for work inspired by African and classical art.
Enhancements to Hamer Finch Wilkins Park were made possible through support from the 2023 Oakland County Parks Community Park and Trail Grant, a generous donation from The Boji Group, and contributions from the Royal Oak Commission for the Arts and other community supporters.