State Auditor Jim Zeigler Pushing for Portraits of Governors Lurleen and George Wallace to be Returned to State Capitol Rotunda
State Auditor Jim Zeigler is calling on Alabama’s Historical Commission to have portraits of Governor Lurleen Wallace and George Wallace returned to the capitol’s rotunda.
Zeigler’s request comes just days before the 50th anniversary of Governor Lurleen Wallace’s death in office. That is just one reason why he is pushing for the portraits to be moved back.
Right now, the portraits of the Wallace’s are on display in the south wing of the state capitol. But Zeigler says, that’s not where they belong. Instead, he says the first floor rotunda should be their home.
“There’s not room in the second floor rotunda for them and it’s an easier move,” says Zeigler.
Zeigler says the portraits were removed by the former Bentley administration in 2015. That’s despite the legislature passing a resolution in 1993 to keep Lurleen Wallace’s portrait in the rotunda.
“The treatment of Lurleen Wallace’s portrait by the former Bentley administration was a shameful example of historical revision,” says Zeigler.
Zeigler has requested the Alabama Historical Commission to place the portraits back.
“I can’t fathom why the historical commission will not follow the law and return the governor’s Lurleen Wallace’s portrait back to where it legally is supposed to be,” says Zeigler.
Zeiglar says officials part of the commission say it would cost money.
“They didn’t say it costs money to remove it but to put it back it would cost money. The whole thing is just baffling,” says Zeigler.
We reached out to the Alabama Historical Commission which released a statement saying both portraits are in their current locations to give tourists and accurate view of Alabama history.
“She was the first female governor of Alabama. She remains the only elected female governor. This is apart of history,” says Zeigler.
Officials with the Alabama Historical Commission say that the current location of both portraits does not diminish the fact that the Wallace’s were historically significant figures. The commission told us in 2015 that the resolution the legislature passed is not legally binding.
A ceremony is set for Monday, May 7th at the state capitol, to honor Lurleen Wallace on the 50th anniversary of her death in office.
