Statues of Rosa Parks, Helen Keller Placed at Alabama Capitol
These are the first female statues ever placed on the Capitol grounds
Two new statues honoring women who shaped Alabama and the nation were unveiled Friday on the grounds of the state Capitol.
The tribute—led by the Alabama Women’s Tribute Statue Commission, created in 2019—is intended to “recognize two icons of courage, perseverance, and service whose lives have shaped Alabama and the nation,” WSFA reported.
One statue depicts Rosa Parks, by the Capitol steps and facing Dexter Avenue. The other features Helen Keller, seated facing the Alabama Statehouse.
The new statue of Parks joins one placed in 2019 on Dexter Avenue at Montgomery Plaza at the Court Street Fountain, near where Parks is thought to have boarded the segregated bus where she refused to relinquish her seat to a white man.
Officials say these are the first female statues ever placed on the Capitol grounds.
Rosa Parks is best known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a stand that helped spark the civil rights movement.
Tuscumbia native Helen Keller, though deaf and blind, became a prolific writer (authoring 12 books) and advocated for women’s suffrage and rights throughout her life. She was the first deaf-blind person in the United States to earn a Batchelor’s degree.
The statues are meant not only to honor these figures, but also to inspire future generations in Alabama to embody qualities of bravery, determination, and service.
