THE "JOCKO" STATUE is a symbol of racial pride inspired by 12-year-old Jocko Graves who followed his father, Tom, a volunteer in the Continental Army. On the evening of December 24, 1776, Jocko crossed the Delaware River to secure horses on the other side. When George Washington’s forces arrived the horses were tied to what they thought was a stump. However, closer inspection showed that the reins were firmly fixed to the hand of Jocko, who had frozen to death in the bitter cold. One of Washington’s first acts after the war, was to have a statue of Jocko installed at Mt. Vernon. The statue was copied, but the original story faded.
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