Statue unveiled at HCC in memory, celebration of bell hooks - WHOP

A new commemorative statue stands proud in the Round Table Literacy Park on the Hopkinsville Community College campus, in honor of one of Hopkinsville’s most influential and famous natives, Gloria Jean Watkins, better known as bell hooks.

There was a ceremony and presentation beforehand, but the family, friends and loved ones of Watkins—who passed away at the end of 2021—made their way to where the statue of a young African American girl will stand in perpetuity in the park. There her great-great niece Avery Williams read a children’s story by hooks titled “Skin Again”, in her memory.

HCC President and CEO Dr. Alissa Young says the bronze statue will stand amongst the leaves, monuments and memories of the past that already rest there, ready to welcome those who visit.

She says it’s their hope that those who visit will be inspired in some way to always strive for compassion, justice and love.

A plaque will stand beside the statue, detailing the life and times of Watkins, who wrote about topics such as feminism, racism, growing up during a time of upheaval and desegregation and in particular, about love even during the hardest times. The statue will receive a permanent granite base some time in the fall, when people are encouraged to visit again to remember bell hooks.

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