A look at the final version of the statue.

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On the final version of the statue, there’s an inscription from the Bible. Taken from the back half of Isaiah 11:6, it reads “and a little child shall lead them.” That seemed appropriate to the Commission for Historical Statues in the United States Capitol, as the statue in question was meant to highlight the achievements of Barbara Rose Johns. And now that statue will be on its way to Washington. 

During their Wednesday, June 18 meeting, members of the commission voted unanimously to accept the final version of the statue, a bronze display both of Barbara herself and several items symbolizing her work through the years. 

“We couldn’t be more pleased about how things turned out,” Barbara’s brother Robert told the commission on Wednesday. During the process, Robert had said his goal was for a statue that he knew his parents could see their daughter in. And that’s what was delivered, Robert said. “I know now my parents would be able to look at that statue and say ‘that’s our daughter,’” he said.  

As mentioned, there were a couple things added to the final version of the statue. That book in her hand is now “The History of Virginia”. The books forming the space she stands on are each historically important in their own way, including one from a local author in Buckingham. The statue of Barbara Rose Johns stands on “The Mis-Education of the Negro” by Carter Godwin Woodson.

Woodson, a Buckingham native who grew up in New Canton, is labeled as “The Father of Black History”, having written several books and served as the founder of what would become Black History Month. Also holding Barbara’s statue up are “Native Son” by Richard Wright, “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston, “The Souls of Black Folk” by W.E.B.DuBois, “My Bondage and My Freedom” by Frederick Douglass, “Poems” by Phyllis Wheatley and “Incidents In The Life of A Slave” by Harriet Jacobs. 

As everyone applauded the work done, Julie Langan thanked the commission, the artist, the Johns family and everyone else who worked to make this possible. She works as Virginia’s State Historic Preservation Officer, in charge of the Department of Historic Resources and chairman of this commission.

“This has been a collaborative process since the beginning,” Langan said. “The design process took longer than we expected but you can’t rush something like this.” 

Moving forward 

And it has been a bit of a longer trip than expected to get to this point. 

In December 2020, the Commission for Historical Statues in the United States Capitol voted to replace a statue of Robert E. Lee, deciding one of the Farmville civil rights leader should represent Virginia. Two statues represent each state in the Statuary Hall of the Capitol. Virginia’s other statue is of George Washington. 

But the work to put Barbara Rose Johns in that second space stalled, due to the pandemic. Now however, things are moving forward again. Johns was chosen from a group of five finalists, to be represented in the U.S. Capitol. Commission members said they decided on Johns because of her connection to the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, which found that racial segregation in schools is unconstitutional.

When does Barbara Rose Johns get her moment?

Now that sculptor Steven Weitzman has finished his work, there’s just a few more things to decide before this statue can take its place in Washington. First, the commission just needs a final sign-off from the Architect of the Capitol, confirming in writing that he approves the final version. 

“We are going to hope that can be received before Congress recesses on July 23,” Langan said. “While that review is taking place, we are going to also begin conversations with the Speaker of the House about scheduling a date for the unveiling, because he has to approve that. I have been advised we might be looking at late fall, just because of November being elections and leading up to that people being busy.” 

And then there is the actual unveiling itself to plan. Over the next few weeks and months, Langan and the commission plan to reach out to churches, to community groups and others in Farmville to put together the service. They need to decide who gives the invocation, who sings during the event, who speaks and who provides the benediction, among other things. 

Langan added that Longwood University and the Moton Museum have expressed interest in holding a “pre-show” of some kind the night before and discussions may start about potentially organizing viewing parties for anyone who can’t make the trip to Washington for the actual event. 

Now the day after the unveiling, the statue of Barbara Rose Johns will go to her permanent spot, where she’ll be part of the tour given to schools, tourists and anyone else curious about America’s history. 

This planned statue is the most recent addition to her legacy. In 2017, the Virginia attorney general’s offices were renamed in her honor. Her story was recently added to the Standards of Learning for 4th grade Virginia studies and 11th grade U.S. History. And in 2018, the General Assembly made April 23 Barbara Johns Day throughout the Commonwealth.