A banner bearing the face of late conservative activist Charlie Kirk now hangs on the exterior of the Department of Education's Washington headquarters, placing him in the company of Martin Luther King Jr., Booker T. Washington and Benjamin Franklin as part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations.
Kirk's image sits on the side of the federal building alongside separate banners honouring Catharine Beecher, a 19th-century champion of women's education, and Washington, who founded the Tuskegee Institute. Anne Sullivan, who taught Helen Keller, and King are also featured. A banner beside them reads: 'Empowering our States to tell the Stories of our Heroes in American Education,' The Hill reported.
Education Department press secretary Savannah Newhouse said the department was 'proud to honour visionary leaders whose contributions have shaped the future of education for generations,' Breitbart News reported exclusively.
The department's biography of Kirk described him as someone who 'built one of America's most active 21st-century youth movements, starting with small groups and leveraging social media to encourage hundreds of millions.' It credited the growth of Turning Point USA and its mission to equip young Americans to 'debate ideas openly.'
Charlie Kirk Education Department Banner Follows Assassination at Utah Campus
Charlie Kirk is one of the faces plastered across the Department of Education building in D.C. for America’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
— Raquel Martin (@RaquelMartinTV) March 1, 2026
The banner reads: “Empowering our states to tell the stories of our heroes in American education.” pic.twitter.com/uoyujjAE4I
Kirk, 31, was assassinated on 10 September 2025 at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, while speaking at an outdoor campus event. Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and other offences. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA with businessman Bill Montgomery in 2012, at the age of 18. He had enrolled at Harper College, a community college in Palatine, Illinois, but withdrew after one semester to focus on building the organisation. He never earned a degree. President Trump and Vice President Vance have credited him with helping mobilise young conservative voters for the 2024 election.
His lack of formal education became a recurring theme in his public life. In 2022, Kirk published The College Scam, arguing that American universities were 'bankrupting and brainwashing' young people. He was described by Forbes as known for 'his repudiation of liberal college education,' according to his biographical record.
Kirk's Place on the Education Department Banner Alongside King Prompts Reaction
Charlie Kirk dropped out of community college and then told millions of American youth that higher education is a liberal scam. His banner should NOT be hanging from the Dept of Education right now. Holy fuck
— Liam Nissan™ (@theliamnissan) March 2, 2026
Kirk's inclusion alongside King, Washington, and other historical figures drew public attention on social media. Journalist Raquel Martin shared photographs of the banners from the building's exterior, writing that Kirk's face was 'plastered across the Department of Education building in D.C.' The images circulated widely, drawing thousands of responses.
Turning Point USA operates more than 900 college chapters and 1,200 high school chapters across the United States. In the days after Kirk's killing, the organisation said it received more than 37,000 enquiries from people wanting to start new chapters. That figure later rose above 120,000 within two weeks of his death, according to the organisation's spokesperson.
The installation forms part of a broader federal initiative marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. The Department of Justice earlier this year unveiled a banner featuring President Trump's photograph at its headquarters.
Kirk also served on Trump's 1776 Commission, established to promote 'patriotic education.' After his death, Hillsdale College announced it would award him a posthumous honorary doctorate, with President Larry Arnn noting that Kirk had completed more than 30 of the college's online courses. The degree is scheduled to be formally conferred on 9 May 2026. It would be the only academic credential formally associated with his name.
