It was designed by architect William Gorden Beecher, and sculpted by Maryland artist Hans Schuler.

The memorial features a statue of Buchanan bookended by male and female classical figures representing law and diplomacy, engraved with text from a member of Buchanan's cabinet, Jeremiah S. Black: "The incorruptible statesman whose walk was upon the mountain ranges of the law."

[3] Historian Edward L. Widmer described Buchanan's presidency as the following: "Repeatedly, he made terrible decisions, and when presented with various options, pursued the most extreme pro-slavery position (despite the fact that he came from Pennsylvania).

He chose a Cabinet dominated by corrupt slave owners who lined their own pockets and stole government assets.

[4][5] The deadline was drawing near when in January 1916, Senator Blair Lee I introduced a joint resolution to erect a memorial to Buchanan.

Amongst the members of Congress who fought against the memorial were Representative Clarence B. Miller and Senators Irvine Lenroot, Reed Smoot, and Henry Cabot Lodge.

[5][7] Miller stated "I would like someone to tell me, if he can, what distinguished services Buchanan rendered anybody that will justify erecting a monument costing the enormous sum of $100,000 to be paid for by anybody, in Meridian Hill Park, one of the showplaces-to-be of the land."

William Gordon Beecher, also from Maryland, was the project's architect and Roman Bronze Works acted as the founder.

[14] Due to bureaucratic debates about the memorial, and delays in construction of Meridian Hill Park, the dedication ceremony did not take place until June 26, 1930.

[15] Amongst those in attendance at the dedication ceremony were government officials, including Secretaries Andrew Mellon and Dwight F. Davis, and many Pennsylvanians.

During the unveiling, the United States Marine Band played and a member of the American Legion sang the national anthem.

[16] Ambassador Roland S. Morris formally presented the memorial to the U.S. government and gave a biographical speech about Buchanan.

This was followed by President Herbert Hoover speaking to the crowd about Buchanan's life and his many years of service to the government.

The others are Serenity by Josep Clarà, Dante Alighieri by Ettore Ximenes, the Noyes Armillary Sphere by C. Paul Jennewein, an equestrian statue of Joan of Arc by Paul Dubois, the only equestrian statue of a woman in Washington, D.C.[18][19] The memorial is located on the southeast corner of Meridian Hill Park, near the park's reflecting pool, in an area where Columbia Heights, Adams Morgan, and the U Street Corridor intersect.

The female statue of Democracy is topless and also has fabric draped over her lower half, part of which hangs from her right arm.