Robert Henry Lawrence Jr. (1935-1967) was a United States Air Force officer and the first African-American astronaut, but before soaring to these heights, he navigated the classrooms of Bradley University.
Now, nearly 69 years after graduating, Lawrence will once again be present on campus in the form of a lifelike bronze sculpture crafted by Bradley’s Fisher Stolz, Department of Art and Design Chair.
From concept to creation, this project has spanned two years. It all began when an outside organization offered to complete the statue for Bradley.
While the idea was promising, Bradley faculty members realized the university had the resources to take on the project itself. After all, Stolz is an internationally recognized sculptor.
“Professor Stolz is truly the visionary of this design,” Kim Green, planning supervisor and sustainability coordinator, said. “He is incredibly talented but also quite modest.”
Stolz built the sculpture from the ground up, starting with extensive research. His work led him to the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum and even New York, where he had the opportunity to meet Lawrence’s sister, Barbara.
“It was really great to get to know her and to feel for family resemblance in her facial features and eyes. That’s something an outside group would never have been able to do,” Stolz said. “It was really important for me to get her approval, too.”
Research was just the first step. Next, Stolz needed a model, which he eventually found in 2019 Bradley graduate Pierre Paul.
“Serving as the model for this project was an incredibly humbling experience,” Paul said. “Major Lawrence was a figure of resilience, leadership, and unwavering dedication, and stepping into his shoes, both figuratively and literally, gave me a deeper appreciation for his legacy.”
“As the first Black astronaut selected by NASA, he created space for himself in a field that had not always been welcoming to people like him,” Paul added. “In many ways, that mirrors my own journey as an entrepreneur and inventor — building opportunities in industries where representation is still lacking and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.”
Once Stolz obtained his reference, the sculpting process could begin. Eleven months were spent working with clay before the piece went through multiple molding phases. Only then could it be cast in bronze. Even at that stage, refinements were still needed.
“I decided to use some fairly cutting edge technology, which felt fitting because Major Lawrence himself was on the cutting edge of technology in the 60s,” Stolz said.
Throughout this process, Stolz was not alone. Studio art MFA student, Liz Johnson, played a hands-on role in bringing Lawrence’s likeness to life, and several staff members helped oversee the project.
Christopher Jones, Bradley professor of political science and executive director of Academic Partnerships, served as the institutional lead and chair of the Major Lawrence Statue Project Working Group.
“The value of the Major Robert Henry Lawrence Jr. statue project is multidimensional in nature,” Jones said. “It recognizes the achievements of a diverse alumnus who can serve as a source of inspiration for all Bradley students.”
The final product, all five feet and seven inches of Lawrence, resplendent in bronze, will be unveiled in Olin Quad at 3 p.m. on Friday for the entire campus to see.
To enhance the monument’s impact, Stolz collaborated with landscape architects from the Farnsworth Group to design a site. It will include a concrete and granite base for the sculpture, three entry points leading into the site, knee walls along the perimeter and a marker featuring three plaques to honor Lawrence’s story and recognize the donors who made the project possible. In the spring, three earthen berms will be planted to complete the space.
Aupperle Construction, a local small business, handled the site’s construction.
“I’m really excited. I’m working up to the very last point,” Stolz said. “But it’s getting done, and there’s a certain amount of relief I’m feeling in actually making that deadline.”
With this unveiling, Bradley cements Lawrence’s legacy as a pioneer, an astronaut and a proud Bradley alumnus, ensuring that his story continues to inspire for generations to come.
