MLK Commission, students in awe at unveiling of Daisy Bates statue in Washington D.C.
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WASHINGTON D.C. – Arkansas was represented at the nation’s capital on Wednesday as a statue of Daisy Bates was unveiled.
The Arkansas Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission was there to celebrate as they have been doing their Dream Keepers Tour this week.
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Among the many faces and names in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol Building, Daisy Bates will be forever remembered as guests will now be able to stand at the foot of her bronze statue.
“She’s definitely an example of how one person can make a difference,” Arkansas MLK Jr. Commission historian Tiffany Pettus said.
The late Civil Rights leader and journalist was also instrumental as a mentor for the Little Rock Nine while they desegregated Central High School in 1957.
“As the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission promotes anti-bullying, she’s a model of strength, courage and ambition,” Pettus said.
The Commission traveled to Washington D.C. for its Dream Keepers Tour, bringing along a group of students.
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“The statue was beyond the imagination I thought it was going to be,” Pine Bluff student Takirah Rodgers said.
Other students from Pine Bluff, like Anthony Goldsmith and Ma’Kayla Young, were also in awe.
“I feel like anything is possible right now,” Goldsmith said.
“I just feel so inspired, oh my God,” Young added.
What is best about the statue is the details because the details are endless.
Her role as a journalist and publicist are highlighted by the pen and notepad in her right hand. And in her left hand, is the weekly Arkansas State Press founded by Bates and her husband.
It’s these features that the sculptor hoped to show the deeper meaning as a beacon of hope, equality and justice.
Even with one heel off the ground, meaning she continues to move the country forward.
“Some people weren’t afraid to step out and take change and she did it. So don’t be afraid to step out and make a difference because one day you may end up in history,” Pine Bluff student Raylei Reed said.
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