LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Little Rock sculptor Susan Holley Williams has taken on her largest art project to date,  creating a larger-than-life statue of Johnson Publishing Company founder,  John H. Johnson.

Williams admits she has never created a sculpture of a person this iconic, nor has she produced artwork that is seven feet tall, but she was up for the challenge.  

Johnson was born in Arkansas City in 1918 and created the publishing company empire in Chicago which is known worldwide for its influential black magazines, Ebony and Jet.  His legacy is a source of pride in Arkansas City where a museum carries his name.  

The annual John H. Johnson Day observance will be held on Nov. 1 with the unveiling of the statue.  The park, where it will be located, is part of the Arkansas State Parks Delta Heritage Trail. 

Williams who is a native of Dumas, Arkansas will share her journey in curating this historic sculpture of Johnson.