Civil Rights Statue On Display In U.S. Capitol

NJG Newswire
WASHINGTON, D.C.

U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA-03) delivered remarks Tuesday December 16 as the statue of Barbara Rose Johns was unveiled in National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol. 

Johns became legendary for her civil rights activism in leading a student protest in Prince Edward County in 1951 and its subsequent lawsuit that became one of five cases combined into Brown v. Board of Education, one of the most consequential Supreme Court decisions in our nation’s history. Her statue will represent Virginia in National Statuary Hall.

“On April 23, 1951, a 16-year-old Barbara Johns led a walkout of students at the Robert Russa Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia, to protest school segregation and the discriminatory education conditions of Black students. Her courage forced this country to reckon with its conscience on a scale much larger than she ever could have imagined,” said Sen. Warner. “I’m proud to unveil Barbara Johns’ statue in the U.S. Capitol where she will represent the Commonwealth of Virginia and be recognized for the vital role she played in ending school segregation.”

“At the age of 16, Barbara Johns’ refused to accept inequality in our public schools.  Her determination led to the lawsuit Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County, which ultimately became part of the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. Her strength and unwavering belief in equality and justice helped change the entire nation for the better.  It is hard to think of a better example of a Virginian to represent the Commonwealth in the United States Capitol,” said Rep. Scott.

Under federal law, each state is represented by two statues in National Statuary Hall, selected by the state to honor notable individuals from its history. Johns was chosen among five finalists to represent Virginia. Her statue replaces the statue of Robert E. Lee that was removed in December 2020.

The bronze statue was created by Maryland sculptor Steven Weitzman.

As Governor, Sen. Warner helped establish a commission to build a monument on Capitol Square in Richmond honoring Johns, after his youngest daughter asked why the grounds did not include more diverse representation of famous Virginians.

In the Senate, Sen. Warner has led efforts to expand the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Site in Kansas and designate National Park Service (NPS) Affiliated areas, including the Moton Museum which recognizes the central role of the Moton School in Farmville in ending school segregation.