# Statue of Egerton Ryerson

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Statue in Toronto, Canada

Statue of Egerton Ryerson The statue in 2005 Artist Hamilton MacCarthy Year 1887 (1887) Subject Egerton Ryerson Condition Destroyed in 2021 Location Toronto, Canada

A [statue](/source/Statue) of [Egerton Ryerson](/source/Egerton_Ryerson) by [Hamilton MacCarthy](/source/Hamilton_MacCarthy) was installed on the grounds of Ryerson University in [Toronto](/source/Toronto), now known as [Toronto Metropolitan University](/source/Toronto_Metropolitan_University), from 1887 until 2021.[1][2][3][4]

## History

The statue in 1890, as photographed by [Josiah Bruce](/source/Josiah_Bruce)

The novelist [Graeme Gibson](/source/Graeme_Gibson) draped the [flag of the United States](/source/Flag_of_the_United_States) around the statue in a 1970 protest against the sale of [Ryerson Press](/source/Ryerson_Press) to the American publishers [McGraw Hill Education](/source/McGraw_Hill_Education) for $2 million (equivalent to $16,580,977 in 2025).[5] Gibson led protesters in a rendition of "[I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy](/source/The_Yankee_Doodle_Boy)" after climbing down from the statue.[5]

The statue attracted significant criticism in the 2010s due to Ryerson's role in the creation of the [Canadian Indian residential school system](/source/Canadian_Indian_residential_school_system). In 2018, a plaque was officially installed on the statue that contextualizes and acknowledged Ryerson's involvement in the history of the Canadian Indian residential school system. The plaque contains the following text:

This plaque serves as a reminder of Ryerson University's commitment to moving forward in the spirit of truth and reconciliation. Egerton Ryerson is widely known for his contributions to Ontario's public educational system. As Chief Superintendent of Education, Ryerson's recommendations were instrumental in the design and implementation of the Indian Residential School System. In 2015, the [Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada](/source/Truth_and_Reconciliation_Commission_of_Canada) concluded that the assimilation amounted to cultural genocide.[6]

Beneath this text are the following two quotations:

"Let us put our minds together to see what kind of lives we can create for our children" – Chief [Sitting Bull](/source/Sitting_Bull)

"For the child taken, for the parent left behind" – Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada[7]

In July 2020, three people were arrested for splattering pink paint on the statue – in addition to two others of [John A. Macdonald](/source/John_A._Macdonald) and [King Edward VII](/source/King_Edward_VII) at the [Ontario Legislature](/source/Ontario_Legislature) – as part of a demand to tear down the monuments. [Black Lives Matter Toronto](/source/Black_Lives_Matter) claimed responsibility for the actions stating that "The action comes after the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario have failed to take action against police violence against Black people." Three people were each charged with three counts of mischief under $5,000 and conspiracy to commit a summary offence;[8] the charges were dropped the following year.[9]

On June 1, 2021, following the discovery of 215 soil disturbances at the [Kamloops Indian Residential School](/source/Kamloops_Indian_Residential_School), the statue was vandalized again, this time with red paint.[10] On June 6, the statue was toppled, decapitated and thrown into [Toronto Harbour](/source/Toronto_Harbour); what was then Ryerson University stated that the statue will not be restored or replaced.[11][12] The head of the statue was subsequently placed on a [pike](/source/Head_on_a_spike) at the [Six Nations of the Grand River](/source/Six_Nations_of_the_Grand_River) near [Caledonia](/source/Caledonia%2C_Ontario), Ontario.[13]

## See also

- [Canada portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Canada)
- [Visual arts portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Visual_arts)

- [Canadian Indian residential school gravesites](/source/Canadian_Indian_residential_school_gravesites)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Egerton Ryerson"](https://www.dittwald.com/torontosculpture/image.php?Artist=MacCarthy&Title=Egerton%20Ryerson). *Toronto Sculpture*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210614200155/https://www.dittwald.com/torontosculpture/image.php?Artist=MacCarthy&Title=Egerton%20Ryerson) from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Saba, Rosa (June 6, 2021). ["Protesters behead toppled statue of Egerton Ryerson following rally honouring residential school victims"](https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2021/06/06/statue-of-egerton-ryerson-toppled-at-university-after-rally-for-residential-school-victims.html). *thestar.com*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210607160119/https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2021/06/06/statue-of-egerton-ryerson-toppled-at-university-after-rally-for-residential-school-victims.html) from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Statue of Egerton Ryerson, toppled after Toronto rally, 'will not be restored or replaced'"](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/statue-of-egerton-ryerson-brought-down-1.6055676). *CBC*. June 6, 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210607160154/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/statue-of-egerton-ryerson-brought-down-1.6055676) from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-08.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Warkentin2010_4-0)** John Warkentin (2010). [*Creating Memory: A Guide to Outdoor Public Sculpture in Toronto*](https://books.google.com/books?id=gCUyR1svtb8C). Becker Associates. p. 15. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-919387-60-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-919387-60-7).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-McLaren2019_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-McLaren2019_5-1) Scott McLaren (15 November 2019). [*Pulpit, Press, and Politics: Methodists and the Market for Books in Upper Canada*](https://books.google.com/books?id=99ChDwAAQBAJ). [University of Toronto Press](/source/University_of_Toronto_Press). p. 195. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4426-2663-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4426-2663-8). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210709201459/https://books.google.com/books?id=99ChDwAAQBAJ) from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-TRCExec_6-0)** ["Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future: Summary of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160706170855/http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/2015/Findings/Exec_Summary_2015_05_31_web_o.pdf) (PDF). *National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation*. Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. 31 May 2015. Archived from [the original](http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/2015/Findings/Exec_Summary_2015_05_31_web_o.pdf) (PDF) on 6 July 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Sloan, Will (July 10, 2018). ["Plaque unveiling a step towards truth and reconciliation"](https://www.ryerson.ca/news-events/news/2018/07/plaque-unveiling-a-step-towards-truth-and-reconcilliation/). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180822214412/https://www.ryerson.ca/news-events/news/2018/07/plaque-unveiling-a-step-towards-truth-and-reconcilliation/) from the original on August 22, 2018. Retrieved August 22, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Draaisma, Muriel (July 18, 2020). ["Police charge 3 people after Black Lives Matter protesters splatter paint on statues in Toronto"](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/statues-defaced-paint-toronto-defund-the-police-1.5654829). *CBC news*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200721102019/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/statues-defaced-paint-toronto-defund-the-police-1.5654829) from the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Charges withdrawn against three protesters in paint attacks on Ryerson, Macdonald statues"](https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2021/06/16/charges-withdrawn-against-three-protesters-in-paint-attacks-on-ryerson-macdonald-statues.html). *thestar.com*. June 16, 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210627203639/https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2021/06/16/charges-withdrawn-against-three-protesters-in-paint-attacks-on-ryerson-macdonald-statues.html) from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Wilson, Kerissa (2021-06-01). ["Ryerson statue honouring architect of Canada's residential school system vandalized again"](https://www.cp24.com/news/ryerson-statue-honouring-architect-of-canada-s-residential-school-system-vandalized-again-1.5451392). *CP24*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210601160604/https://www.cp24.com/news/ryerson-statue-honouring-architect-of-canada-s-residential-school-system-vandalized-again-1.5451392) from the original on 2021-06-01. Retrieved 2021-06-01.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["A message from President Lachemi on the removal of the Egerton Ryerson statue"](https://www.ryerson.ca/news-events/news/2021/06/a-message-from-president-lachemi-on-the-removal-of-the-egerton-ryerson-statue/). *Ryerson University*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210607060218/https://www.ryerson.ca/news-events/news/2021/06/a-message-from-president-lachemi-on-the-removal-of-the-egerton-ryerson-statue/) from the original on 2021-06-07. Retrieved 2021-06-07.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["School task force on Egerton Ryerson legacy won't speed up report despite protests"](https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/article/school-task-force-on-egerton-ryerson-legacy-wont-speed-up-report-despite-protests/). ctvnews.ca. 6 June 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210708074956/https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/school-task-force-on-egerton-ryerson-legacy-won-t-speed-up-report-despite-protests-1.5458620) from the original on 8 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["The head of the statue of Egerton Ryerson now on a spike at Land Back Lane in Caledonia, Ont"](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/egerton-ryerson-statue-caledonia-land-back-lane-1.6059513). cbc.ca. 10 June 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210709180519/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/egerton-ryerson-statue-caledonia-land-back-lane-1.6059513) from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.

## Further reading

- Booklet Ceremony of Unveiling of the Statue. United Church of Canada Archives.

- McDonald, Lynn (9 September 2021). "The historical record vindicates Egerton Ryerson". *National Post*.

- Stagg, Ronald; Dutil, Patrice (3 June 2021). "The Imbecile Attack on Egerton Ryerson". *Dorchester Review*.

- Stagg, Ronald (13 May 2022). "Update on the Ryerson Fiasco". *Dorchester Review online*.

## External links

- Media related to [Statue of Egerton Ryerson](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Statue_of_Egerton_Ryerson) at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Public art in Toronto Works 48th Highlanders of Canada Regimental Memorial Afghanistan Memorial Canadian Volunteer Monument Dr. William D. Young Memorial Dreaming Flight Stop Global Convenience Homeless Jesus Hours of the Day Large Two Forms Last Alarm Let the Oppressed Go Free Little Glenn Lower Simcoe Street underpass murals Megaptera Monument to Multiculturalism Monument to the War of 1812 Neighbours Northwest Rebellion Monument Notre Place Monument Ontario Firefighters Memorial Ontario Police Memorial Ontario Veterans' Memorial The Pasture Post One Monument Princes' Gates Princess Margaret Fountain Queen Elizabeth Way Monument Rainbow crossing Shrine Peace Memorial Sons of England War Memorial South African War Memorial Spirit of Discovery Still Dancing Survivors Are Not Heroes Three Way Piece No.2: Archer Universal Man When I Was Naked When I Was Sick Woodpecker Column Portrait sculpture Adam Beck Norman Bethune George Brown Winston Churchill Edward VII Elizabeth II Northrop Frye Glenn Gould Jack Layton John A. Macdonald John Sandfield Macdonald William Lyon Mackenzie Oliver Mowat Al Purdy Robert Raikes Edward S. Rogers Jr. Egerton Ryerson John Graves Simcoe Sun Yat-sen Queen Victoria James Whitney Alexander Wood Related Garden of the Greek Gods Graffiti in Toronto Graffiti Alley Moose in the City list Toronto subway public art

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Statue of Egerton Ryerson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Egerton_Ryerson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Egerton_Ryerson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.