Alabama to Unveil Statues of Rosa Parks and Helen Keller

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama State Capitol will unveil statues of two historic women, Rosa Parks and Helen Keller, on October 24, 2025. The ceremony is set to begin at 10:30 a.m., and members of the public are encouraged to attend.

The process to honor Parks and Keller began in 2019 with the signing of House Bill 287 by Governor Kay Ivey. This law established the Women’s Tribute State Commission, responsible for overseeing the placement, funding, and commissioning of the statues. The commission, led by Rep. Laura Hall of Huntsville, consists of six members.

Rosa Parks is known for her pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement after she refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus on December 1, 1955. This act of defiance sparked the Montgomery bus boycott, a landmark event in the struggle for civil rights. After her death, Parks became the first woman to lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol rotunda, and she was the second African American to receive this honor.

Helen Keller, born in Tuscumbia, overcame her disabilities after losing her sight and hearing due to an illness at 19 months old. She became an influential author and activist, communicating with people across Alabama and beyond. Keller is also celebrated in the National Sanctuary Hall Collection, where she is one of only two statues representing Alabama since 2009.

The unveiling event is anticipated to draw significant public interest as a tribute to the remarkable lives and legacies of these two women.