Honoring Courage: Barbara Rose Johns’ Legacy Immortalized in U.S Capitol

December 17, 2025

On December 17, a statue honoring civil rights pioneer Barbara Rose Johns was unveiled at the U.S. Capitol's Emancipation Hall, replacing a former Confederate monument of Robert E. Lee that was taken down in 2020. At just sixteen years old in 1951, Johns orchestrated a student strike at her segregated Virginia high school to protest inadequate facilities and unequal conditions, which gained national attention and contributed to the historic Brown v.

Who is affected

Barbara Rose Johns (the honored civil rights pioneer)
Johns' family members, including siblings Joan Cobbs, Ernest Johns, and Roderick Johns
Students and young people who will learn from her story
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and Senator Tim Kaine
Family, friends, spectators, and legislators who attended the ceremony
Millions of future visitors to the U.S. Capitol

What action is being taken

The statue of Barbara Rose Johns is being displayed at the U.S. Capitol (having replaced Robert E. Lee's statue, which was removed in 2020). Governor Youngkin walks by Johns' statue in the Virginia State Capitol daily. The monument is currently recognizing Johns' role and elevating young people's contributions to the civil rights movement.

Why it matters

This recognition honors a largely overlooked teenage activist whose courage at age sixteen directly contributed to ending school segregation through the Brown v. Board of Education decision. The statue replacement symbolizes a shift from commemorating Confederate leaders to celebrating those who fought for civil rights and educational equity. Johns' story demonstrates that young people can effect transformative social change and serves as ongoing inspiration for future generations to stand up for equality and justice.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer