Statues of Helen Keller and Rosa Parks to be unveiled at the Alabama State Capitol

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WHNT) — The legacies of Helen Keller and Rosa Parks will be on display in bronze at the Alabama State Capitol, thanks to the efforts of a state lawmaker.

Rep. Laura Hall (D-Madison) supported a bill for the statues’ creation in 2019. She advocated for the action due to the absence of statues honoring women on the capitol’s grounds.

“It’s a possibility for each one of us — especially young ladies — that they too could make a difference and be one of those individuals […] that have made it possible for others to be successful in the State of Alabama, and in the country,” Hall said.

Julia Knight was selected to create the Rosa Parks statue. She sculpted the nine-foot six-inch statue with clay and cast it into bronze.

“We’ve sort of accepted a one-dimensional view of Rosa Parks,” Knight said. “And with this sculpture, I wanted to show how multifaceted she was.”

Knight said she created the statue to show Parks moving instead of sitting because she stepped up to the challenge.

“Her life was not as simple, she didn’t get up one day out of her seat,” Knight said. “She wasn’t a tired seamstress. She was a dedicated activist.”

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The Rosa Parks statue is being cast into iron right now. Afterward, all that’s left to add is the granite foundation according to Knight.

The Women’s Tribute Statue Commission is currently preparing sites for the statues to be unveiled on two separate dates.

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