Vinnie Ream: An American Sculptor

She was able, through clever maneuvering and dogged determination, to achieve a commission from the Congress for a life-sized statue of the assassinated president—this despite the very real animus against women artists at that time, which is apparent in the heated arguments against granting her the Lincoln commission—arguments spearheaded in the Senate by Charles Sumner of Massachusetts.

Steeped in the history of her time, Vinnie Ream was involved with dozens of senators and congressmen…