Pioneer Monument (San Francisco)

The Pioneer Monument, also known as Early Days, was a controversial public sculpture located in the Civic Center of San Francisco, California. It depicted a Native American lying on the ground beneath a vaquero and a missionary. Created by Frank Happersberger, it was erected in 1894. The monument was widely criticized for its demeaning and inaccurate portrayal of Native Americans and its romanticized depiction of colonialism.

For decades, community groups and Native American activists protested the monument, calling for its removal due to its racist imagery. They argued that it glorified the subjugation and dispossession of Native peoples in California's history.

After years of debate and activism, the San Francisco Arts Commission voted unanimously in 2018 to remove the sculpture. It was finally removed in the early morning hours of September 14, 2018. Its current whereabouts and future use are unknown. Its removal sparked further discussion about public monuments and their role in representing historical narratives, particularly those involving marginalized communities.