Black education pioneer Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune will have her own state-commissioned statue placed in the National Statuary Hall of the United States Capitol, People reports . This is the first time a Black figure will be featured in the honorary lineup. Bethune will also represent “one of only a few women” representing a state among the 100 statues. Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith will be replaced, making room for Bethune's 11-foot marble figure, permanently. The statue will be situated in the hall in Feb. 2022, NBC reports . Bethune is decorated in a cap and gown in the statue, commemorating her contributions to education, and she stands in front of a stack of books. She wears a pearl necklace while holding a black rose in one hand and a walking stick in the other. The statue is in Daytona Beach for public viewing until Dec. 12 before being transported to Washington, D.C., WESH 2 reports . Bethune was known for having a passion for education, and she served as presidential...
