US Capitol Unveils Statue of Teen Civil Rights Icon Barbara Rose Johns, Taking Robert E. Lee’s Spot

December 23, 2025

The U.S. Capitol unveiled a statue of Barbara Rose Johns, a teenager who led a 1951 student strike protesting inadequate conditions at her segregated Virginia high school. The statue replaces a monument to Confederate General Robert E. Lee that stood in the Capitol for over a century before its 2020 removal.

Who is affected

Barbara Rose Johns and her legacy
Over 200 members of Johns' family, including her daughter Terry Harrison and sister Joan Johns Cobbs
Students and staff of R.R. Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia and its representation in the U.S. Capitol
Visitors to the Capitol who will view the statue

What action is being taken

The U.S. Capitol is displaying the statue of Barbara Rose Johns
The statue is being placed in the Crypt of the Capitol
The Eastern Senior High School choir performed musical renditions at the unveiling ceremony

Why it matters

This represents a significant symbolic shift in how Virginia chooses to represent itself nationally, replacing a Confederate general who fought to preserve slavery with a civil rights pioneer who fought for educational equality. Johns' activism directly contributed to the Brown v. Board of Education decision that ended legal school segregation, making her a foundational figure in American civil rights history. The change reflects contemporary values about which historical figures deserve commemoration in prominent national spaces and acknowledges the contributions of young Black activists to American democracy.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint