‘A hero’: New Hampshire to unveil statue of Christa McAuliffe in September

Next month, New Hampshire officials will unveil a statue honoring Christa McAuliffe , who died in the space shuttle Challenger disaster 38 years ago.

McAuliffe, a New Hampshire high school teacher, was among a crew of seven who were killed when the Challenger broke apart shortly after takeoff on Jan. 28, 1986. She was 37.

The unveiling of McAuliffe’s statue -- the first woman to be memorialized on State House grounds --- will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 2, Gov. Chris Sununu said in a statement on Tuesday.

“To see a hero like Christa McAuliffe memorialized in this way will undoubtedly inspire the next generation of students each time they visit the New Hampshire State House,” Sununu said.

The governor said the statue unveiling “will be a historic moment for the State of New Hampshire.” Members of the public are encouraged to attend.

“We hope the whole community will come out for this event!” Sununu said.

Last year, Sununu signed an executive order establishing the Christa McAuliffe State House Memorial Commission.

The committee selected renowned artist Benjamin Victor to design the memorial.

At the age of 26, Victor became the youngest artist to ever have a sculpture placed in the National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol.

In 2024, Victor became the only living artist to have four sculptures on display in Statuary Hall.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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