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Discover the Capitol History Blog, where we give current and future scholars a forum for their insights on history and the relevance of those events today. Contributors include our staff, fellows, communications and research interns, and other guest contributors including historians and industry experts. To learn more about our fellowship and internship programs, follow the links.
The placement and eventual removal of two statues in front of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. is an oft-forgotten piece of American history, pertinent to our observance of Native American Heritage Month. The Rescue and The Discovery of America both included harmful stereotypes of indigenous people next to white figures in positions of power. For nearly a century, members of Congress walked past these statues to enter the Capitol. But due to the criticism of advocacy organizations like…
The spirits of democracy might not be the only spirits that reside in the halls of the Capitol. Since the beginning of its construction in the late 18th century, Spooky stories remain central to the building’s history. In October 1898, the Philadelphia Press even referred to the Capitol as “the most thoroughly haunted building in the world.” With Halloween right around the corner, let’s explore the reasons this might be true and delve into the Capitol’s ghost stories, both of…
During the COVID-19 global pandemic, flexible schedules became the norm at many workplaces as many people now increasingly work from home. While there are benefits to this change, many American workers still feel overworked, especially as the division between home and the office is muddled by technology. As a result, there is rising interest among companies, members of the workforce, and elected officials to redesign the structure of American labor—including the potential adoption of a four-day work week. As society…
On Monday, June 21, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) cannot limit education-related benefits for student-athletes—a landmark decision that shakes to the core the foundation of amateurism in college athletics. Although the ruling solely focuses on benefits and payments to athletes related to education—like tuition, study abroad opportunities, paid internships, computers, and graduate scholarships—the ruling’s precedent opens the door to other challenges to the NCAA’s rules on student-athlete compensation. Surely enough, just…
The Cox Corridors contain some of the most outstanding narrative and historical art in the U.S. Capitol. These murals are located on the first floor of the House wing and depict significant events and periods in American history. The corridors were painted by artist Allyn Cox and later finished by Jeffrey Greene after Cox’s death. Their work includes the Great Experiment Hall, which contains art that focuses on the nation’s founding, and significant events and actions in our history; the…
Last month, many across the country celebrated Pride Month in recognition of the LGBTQ+ community and its growing acceptance in American society. As such, it’s important to consider the history of LGBTQ+ legislation and representation in Congress, which has largely mirrored popular opinion—both in support of the movement and against it. The exact beginning of Federal anti-gay legislation is difficult to determine. Many early laws and resolutions banned sodomy and “obscenities,” categories which included gay relationships without explicitly referencing homosexuality….
On November 11, 2019, Maya Michelle Rockeymoore Cummings announced that she was running for the Maryland 7th Congressional district seat—which had been previously occupied by her late husband Elijah Cummings, who died in October of 2019. In a frank discussion following her campaign’s eventual defeat, she revealed: “People don’t know what to make of me … They have no idea of my background and what my accomplishments have been in life. They just think that I rode in on the arm of my…
On Saturday June 19, we celebrated Juneteenth—the annual holiday that marks the end of slavery in America. But it wasn’t until last week that the nation celebrated it as a federal holiday. Last Tuesday, the Senate unanimously passed a bill to recognize Juneteenth at the federal level—and on Wednesday, the same bill quickly made its way through the House. With Congress on board, all that was left was President Joe Biden’s signature, which he gave on Thursday. The reason Congress…
Recently, discussion of the American military conscription draft system permeated news outlets, since last week the Supreme Court declined to take the case NATIONAL COALITION FOR MEN, ET AL. v. SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM, ET AL., which confronts the longstanding tradition of a male-only draft in the United States. In her statement regarding the case, Justice Sotomayor, joined by Justices Breyer and Kavanaugh, explained that the Court’s reasoning for not taking the case is due to the fact that Congress is…
On April 23, 2022, President Biden attended a virtual global climate summit where he, alongside other nations, committed to significant new efforts to reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change. During the summit, he stated that his administration would aim to cut U.S. coal and petroleum emissions in half by 2030. To help accomplish this, Biden has introduced the American Jobs Plan and the complementary Made in America Tax Plan, which together propose $2 trillion in infrastructure spending with a…
On April 15th, 1861, a few days after Confederate cannons opened fire on Fort Sumter, President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 troops to be deployed to Washington D.C. to protect the seat of government and suppress the rebellion. Within a few days, volunteer Union troops from Pennsylvania answered the call and were quartered in the House wing of the Capitol. Next, the Sixth Regiment from Massachusetts set up camp in the Senate wing. Before long, thousands of soldiers occupied the…
On Wednesday, January 6, 2021, a throng of insurrectionists attacked the U.S. Capitol in a failed effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Hundreds of rioters aggressively marched toward the Capitol to protest outside and break into the building. In the process, they harmed police officers and vandalized and looted while they sought to find and harm members of Congress. The riot led to the evacuation and lockdown of the Capitol and caused several deaths and injuries. While…
