The inaugural Barbara Rose Johns celebration, held Sunday at the Fireman’s Sports Arena at 1328 Zion Hill Road, paid tribute to a young woman and a generation whose actions shifted the U.S. education system and led the country toward educational equality.

The event, organized by the Moton Museum, included food, music, activities for youth and performances of Prince Edward County High School’s (PECHS) drama team with two showings of its production of “B. Rose! The Musical,” written by PECHS Drama Department Director Debbie Rush.

Johns was 16 when she led a walkout at Robert Russa Moton High School in 1951 to protest education inequality in the area. The case from Johns and fellow students, Davis v. Prince Edward County, was one of five cases, and the only student-led case, included in the 1954 case Brown v. Board of Education, which made segregation of public schools unconstitutional.

Fifth Congressional District U.S. Rep Tom Garrett spoke during the event and noted the wide-ranging impact of Johns’ actions.

“Everybody in this country is better off because a 16-year-old girl had the courage to stand up for what is right,” Garrett said.

Garrett compared Johns’ and the other students work toward equality to those who fought during the American Revolution.

“My theory is the American Revolution never ended,” Garrett said. “I hope to God it never does.”

“This is a story that needs to be told because this is our story,” Garrett said.