A new statue dedicated to civil rights legend Rosa Parks has been unveiled by the Equal Justice Initiative in downtown Montgomery.

The group held a ceremony last week at the newly constructed Legacy Plaza to commemorate the occasion.

“This Black History Month and Valentine’s Day, many of us want to express our love, gratitude, and gratitude to Mrs. Rosa Parks, whose extraordinary leadership inspired the entire world.” EJI Director Bryan Stevenson said in a press release. . “As someone who had the privilege of spending time with Mrs. Parks, I can tell you that she had the power and belief that she absolutely could change the world.”

“We are thrilled to be able to honor her at Legacy Plaza.”

This morning, EJI unveiled a new sculpture honoring civil rights legend Rosa Parks in downtown Montgomery, Alabama. https://t.co/RIJaQEKvAs

— Equal Justice Initiative (@eji_org) February 14, 2024

Parks' statue is the first of three sculptures to be installed at Legacy Plaza, according to EJI. His next two will honor Martin Luther King Jr. and Congressman John Lewis.

A new monument commemorating Parks' legacy was created by Basil Watson of Atlanta. Mr. Watson also created a sculpture of Martin Luther King Jr. near Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Mr. Parks is best known for instigating the 1955-1956 Montgomery Bus Boycott, which led to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that racial discrimination on public buses was unconstitutional.

Austin Shipley is a staff writer at Yellowhammer News.