A statue of Barbara Rose Johns, a courageous teenager who protested the substandard conditions at her segregated Virginia high school, will soon be unveiled in the U.S. Capitol. This significant addition is a replacement for the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, which was removed in December 2020 amid a national re-evaluation of Confederate monuments following George Floyd’s death.
The unveiling ceremony is set for Tuesday in Emancipation Hall, attended by notable figures including Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, and the state’s congressional delegation.
In 1951, at just 16 years old, Johns led a pivotal student strike for equal education at R.R. Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia. Her efforts garnered the support of NAACP lawyers, which culminated in a lawsuit that became part of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case. The Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in this case struck down the “separate but equal” doctrine in public education, marking a cornerstone victory in the civil rights movement.
After her activism, Johns married the Rev. William Powell and became Barbara Rose Johns Powell. She raised five children and served as a librarian in the Philadelphia Public Schools until her death in 1991 at the age of 56.
The statue itself portrays a young Johns standing beside a lectern, with a tattered book held aloft. Its pedestal bears the inscription, “Are we going to just accept these conditions, or are we going to do something about it?” alongside a quote from the Book of Isaiah, “And a little child shall lead them.” This design aims to inspire visitors, especially the youth, by highlighting both her bravery and her compelling message for justice.
Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia expressed his enthusiasm regarding the statue, noting that it will educate countless visitors about Johns’ story and hopefully motivate future generations to advocate for equality.
Johns’ statue is now part of the National Statuary Hall Collection, which allows each state to contribute two statues. Virginia’s other statue represents George Washington. The former Lee statue, which had symbolized Virginia for over a century, has been relocated to the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.
This addition to the Capitol illustrates a continued commitment to recognizing the contributions and struggles of those who fought for civil rights, providing a more inclusive narrative in the heart of American democracy. As visitors walk by this new statue, they will not only learn about Barbara Rose Johns but also the history of resilience and the ongoing quest for equality in the United States.