Ed Hamilton

Ed Hamilton
Ed Hamilton at the June 2009 Abraham Lincoln Statue Dedication at Louisville Waterfront Park
Born	Edward Norton Hamilton, Jr. (1947-02-14) February 14, 1947 (age 70) Cincinnati, Ohio
Nationality	American
Education	Barney Bright
Known for	Sculpture
Notable work	Spirit of Freedom

Edward Norton Hamilton, Jr. (born February 14, 1947) is an American sculptor living in Louisville, Kentucky, who specializes in public art. His most famous work is The Spirit of Freedom, a memorial to black Civil War veterans, that stands in Washington, DC, in the Shaw neighborhood near Howard University. Hamilton has also created monuments dedicated to Booker T. Washington, Joe Louis, York (William Clark's manservant on the Lewis and Clark Expedition), and the slaves who revolted on La Amistad.

Ed Hamilton was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and raised in Louisville by Amy Jane (Camp) and Edward Norton Hamilton, Sr. He graduated from Shawnee High School (Kentucky) in 1965, then received a scholarship to Louisville's Art Center, where he studied sculpture and painting. He graduated from the Louisville School of Art in 1969 and started his teaching career in 1973 at Iroquois High School.

Hamilton, originally a painter, had a chance meeting with Barney Bright – the sculptor responsible for the Derby Clock and the River Horse statue – that changed Hamilton's life. Bright made Hamilton his apprentice, giving him a place to work and the opportunity to learn sculpting. Since learning under Barney Bright, Hamilton has taught sculpture at Jefferson Community College and is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.