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BROWNSVILLE — A six-foot bronze statue of Tina Turner is planned for Brownsville Tennessee. In a recent city board meeting, Brownsville Mayor and Aldermen endorsed a plan to enhance Heritage Park – a park located on historic Jefferson Street and across from the high school she attended. The project will develop in phases beginning with a public/private partnership to fund the proposed statue.
“We want to be sure that we continue to honor the legacy of Tina Turner in a monumental way,” said Brownsville Mayor William Rawls. “Being her hometown, saving her childhood school and now to be able to erect a statue across the street from where she attended high school and played basketball is just another way for us to do our part to keep her legacy alive and tell more of her story.”
Mayor Rawls first announced his intentions of erecting a statue shortly after Tina’s death last May. It’s taken almost a year to find the artist he believes can capture the essence of the “Queen of Rock.” That artist is Sculptor Fred Ajanogha, also known as Ajano, an Atlanta, GA, resident whose works have been showcased all over the world including the 1996 Olympics, Southern University Museum of Art, Tubman Museum and in Nigeria and Ghana. A large portion of Ajano’s public art pieces can be found in and around Atlanta.
The commission and placement of the statue is Phase 1. Proposed to stand more than six-feet tall, the finished sculpture will be cast in bronze at a West Tennessee foundry and placed in a prominent location within Heritage Park. The exact pose or likeness is yet to be determined and Mayor Rawls says his committee will work closely with the artist throughout the complete process.
“It is my honor and privilege, along with the rest of the community, to facilitate this tribute to an international music icon who I believe we can all agree was ‘simply the best,'” added Rawls.
The location is significant because of its proximity to the former Carver High School, where young Anna Mae Bullock attended. The high school is now home to the Dunbar Carver Museum which showcases the history of the African American community and students who attended, including Tina and others who have made huge contributions to our society. The school gym where she played basketball and was a cheerleader still stands within viewing distance of the proposed statue location.
The statue will serve as the centerpiece for Phase 2 – a landscaped plaza area featuring paths lined with names of those who have contributed to the project. This will make it a true community-driven initiative and opportunity for fans and friends from all over the world to be involved.
The City hopes to unveil the Tina Turner Statue during its annual Tina Turner Heritage Days in September 2025. Those wishing to donate to the project can do so through the Friends of the Delta Heritage Center, a local not-for-profit. Donations can be made online at westtnheritage.com/donate or by mailing to PO Box 1358, Brownsville, Tennessee, 38012.
