Bethel High School students attend unveiling ceremony of Barbara Rose Johns statue

Bethel High School students from the Academy of Law and Public Safety as well as members of Youth and Government and AP African American Studies attended the unveiling of the Barbara Rose Johns statue at the United States Capitol on December 16, 2025. The statue honors Barbara Rose Johns, a pivotal civil rights leader whose 1951 student-led protest against school segregation in Prince Edward County helped lay the groundwork for Brown v. Board of Education. As Virginia’s contribution to the National Statuary Hall Collection, the statue celebrates Johns’ enduring legacy in the fight for equal educational opportunities. 

The statue unveiling ceremony, representing Virginia in the U.S. Capitol, was held in Emancipation Hall and included remarks and attendance from House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, members of Virginia’s congressional delegation, and Governor-Elect Abigail Spanberger.

“Witnessing the unveiling of Barbara Rose Johns’ statue was a powerful learning experience, and the students have not stopped talking about it since returning. It is clear the experience left a lasting impression,” said Bethel High School executive principal Dr. Tanya Howard.