This bronze monument commemorates the tragic events of April 24, 1915, the onset of the Armenian genocide by the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Meher, a legendsry Middle Ages folk hero, symbolizes the faith of the Armenian people. He holds a cross as he kneels before battle. Nine relief panels at the base depict historic Armenian struggles.
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The Armenian community commissioned the monument for the 1976 American Bicentennial. Der Harootian, a primarily self-taught sculptor, spent his childhood hiding from Turkish invaders before relocating to America in 1921. He also carved the "Inventor" at the Samuel Memorial in 1950.
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