Little Rock city officials on Wednesday unveiled a sculpture depicting Harriet Tubman after the work was relocated from President Clinton Avenue to a pedestal steps away from City Hall facing West Markham Street.
The sculpture, by artist Jane DeDecker, was originally installed in Riverfront Park in 2004 and later moved to the entrance of Clinton Presidential Park.
Construction on Interstate 30 required the relocation of the Tubman sculpture along with three others, according to a city news release issued earlier this week.
Describing Tubman as "one of the iconic, critical, everlasting figures in Black history, in American history," Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. told a crowd gathered near the sculpture that Tubman endured the elements in the pursuit of freedom.
In remarks prior to the unveiling, at-large Little Rock City Director Dean Kumpuris said the Tubman piece was probably one of the most iconic and memorable sculptures in the city.
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Additionally, Kumpuris on Wednesday praised the staff of the city's Parks and Recreation Department under Director John Eckart for the design of the plaza outside City Hall.
When it came time to pull the covering off the sculpture to reveal it to onlookers, Scott was joined by Little Rock City Manager Bruce Moore and Haskell Dickinson, the son of the late Carrie Ellen Remmel Dickinson.
It was in Dickinson's honor that the sculpture was donated in 2004 by members of her family.
Also during Wednesday's ceremony, the small plaza featuring the sculpture outside of the west wing of City Hall was officially dedicated in honor of Annie Abrams, 89, an educator and activist who worked with Daisy Bates to desegregate Central High School and later became the first Black PTA president at the school.
During his time on the city's Board of Directors, Kumpuris said that when attending a meeting he would look in the front row, see Abrams sitting there, and know she was there either to praise, admonish or encourage city officials to do more.
"She is a treasure to this city, and she has helped more people direct this city in a positive way than any person I know," Kumpuris said.
He added that Abrams was his "moral compass" and Moore's "confidant and friend and second mother all these times."