News reports or official statements from the U.S. Capitol

Johnny Cash Statue Unveiled in Emancipation Hall, First Musician Honored

Sep 24, 2024, 04:49 PM

A statue of the late singer-songwriter Johnny Cash was unveiled at the U.S. Capitol's Emancipation Hall on September 24, 2024. The eight-foot bronze statue, depicting Cash with a guitar and a Bible, was contributed by the state of Arkansas and now stands in the National Statuary Hall Collection. This marks the first statue of a professional musician to be included in the Capitol collection. The ceremony, which started at 10 am CT, was attended by congressional leaders, Arkansas lawmakers, Governor Sanders, and members of the Cash family, including his blind sister Joanne Cash, who spent several minutes touching the statue. The statue of Johnny Cash replaces one of two statues previously representing Arkansas, those of Uriah Rose and James Clarke, figures from the Civil War and Reconstruction era.