5. Benito Juarez Statue (Mexico)

On October 9th, 2004, the Avenue of the Americas received its newest addition to commemorate its intended goal of Pan-American friendship. The statue depicts Benito Juarez, a Mexican national hero who served as its first indigenous president. The Mexican State of Oaxaca gifted the statue to New York City, and its governor, Jose Murat, presided over the statue’s dedication with New York City Parks Commissioner, Adrian Benepe. The statue of Juarez, designed by Mexican sculptor Moises Cabrera Orozco, is the first statue of a Mexican and the first statue of a non-fictional indigenous person in a New York City park.