When the Arkansas legislature decided five years ago to replace the statues representing the state at the U.S. Capitol, there was widespread agreement that the existing sculptures, depicting obscure figures from the state's history, should be replaced.
Former Governor Asa Hutchinson, who also served in Congress, recalled giving tours to constituents from Arkansas, pointing out the two representatives from Arkansas in Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol. He noted that many were unfamiliar with these historical figures.
Instead of the relatively unknown figures from the 18th and 19th centuries, the state will soon be represented by the “Man in Black” and a woman who played a crucial role in the fight for school desegregation.
Officials plan to install statues of civil rights leader Daisy Bates this week and musician Johnny Cash later this year. Bates, who led the state NAACP, mentored the Black students known as the Little Rock Nine who integrated Central High School in 1957. She is a well-known civil rights figure in Arkansas, honored by a downtown street in Little Rock named after her. The state also celebrates Daisy Bates Day on Presidents Day.
Benjamin Victor, the Idaho sculptor chosen to create Bates' statue, extensively studied her life, including reading her 1962 autobiography and visiting her Little Rock home and Central High. He hopes the statue will educate U.S. Capitol visitors about her life and legacy.
The 8-foot tall bronze statue depicts Bates, who, along with her husband, published the Arkansas State Press newspaper, walking with a newspaper in her arm. She holds a notebook and pen in one hand and wears a NAACP pin and rose on her lapel.
Johnny Cash, born in Kingsland, a tiny town about 60 miles south of Little Rock, sold 90 million records worldwide spanning various genres. He was among the few artists inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The 8-foot tall statue of Cash depicts the singer with a guitar slung across his back and a Bible in his hand. Little Rock sculptor Kevin Kresse, who created the statue, views Cash as a much-needed addition to the Capitol, embodying qualities of integrity and authenticity.
The Bates and Cash statues will replace ones depicting James P. Clarke, a former governor and U.S. senator, and Uriah Rose, a 19th-century attorney. The decision to replace these statues came after scrutiny over racist comments attributed to Clarke.
Sen. David Wallace, who sponsored the legislation to replace the previous sculptures, expressed hope that the new statues would showcase the diverse and impactful figures from Arkansas's history, representing the common people of the state.