Slain journalists are getting a one-of-a-kind memorial

An architectural firm is preparing to honor slain journalists across the world with a unique memorial — one that will be a first-of-its-kind monument in the United States. On Sept. 16, the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation (FJMF) unveiled its first design plans for the Fallen Journalists Memorial, which will be located in a prominent spot on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

The memorial will be "dedicated to press freedom and the journalists who have lost their lives in service to that cause," according to a press release from the FJMF. It will be constructed by lead architect John Ronan and is slated to begin construction in 2026 with planned completion in 2028.

What will the memorial look like?

The memorial will sit with the U.S. Capitol building as its backdrop and will consist of a "massive structure composed of numerous separate glass elements," said Washingtonian magazine. This will make it the "first memorial in the United States to be made entirely of glass." The glass pieces are "meant to be haphazard, indicating disconnected data points that come together to form a story," while the pieces themselves are "each handcrafted in a way to represent unique, personal stories of reporters."

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The memorial "has no front or back; people will be able to enter from multiple entry points," said Washingtonian. It will lead to a "circular area in the center of the site that Ronan said is meant to signify 'the numerous, non-linear paths a reporter takes to lead to the truth.'" A soft light will reportedly emanate from the memorial, even after dark, which "signifies the watchdog role journalists play in a democracy," Ronan said to Washingtonian.

What will the memorial represent?

The memorial will "celebrate press freedom and honor the journalists who have been slain while doing their jobs," said The Washington Post. The FJMF itself started in 2019, a year after a gunman killed five people and injured two others at the newsroom of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland. The foundation's founder, David Deier, was "inspired to seek the memorial after the deadly Gazette shooting and upon the realization that the Newseum — a former D.C. museum dedicated to journalism — was shutting down."

And for people who are not able to visit the memorial in person, those looking for a "complete list of slain journalists will be able to find that information on an accompanying website," Barbara Cochran, the president of the FJMF, said to the Post. Cochran noted in the FJMF press release that journalists "are facing great dangers around the world," and this has remained true for years: At least 44 journalists have been killed so far in 2024, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, while 78 died in 2023, 42 died in 2022 and 29 died in 2021.

The memorial's website, like the memorial itself, will "tell the stories of selected journalists whose experiences help illustrate the perils of the profession," said the Post. This will "likely include those who died covering war, corruption and autocratic governments — as well as those who were simply serving their communities."

The memorial "will be a journey of discovery that unfolds slowly, space by space, like a story that casts the visitor in the role of investigative journalist," Ronan said in the press release. It will be an "inspiring place of remembrance which celebrates the First Amendment freedoms upon which democracy is built and honors those who have sacrificed their lives in pursuit of the truth."