On Monday, February 25, 2019, the United States Capitol Historical Society held its annual Trustee Lunch with Representative Gerry Connolly of Virginia. Donald G. Carlson, Chairman of the Society’s Board of Trustees, opened the event by welcoming members of the Capitol Committee and introducing Jane L. Campbell, President/CEO of the Society. Ms. Campbell spoke about the Society’s important mission “to educate and inform the public about congress and the legislative process” and thanked Representative Connolly for taking the time to speak.

In the wide-ranging discussion that ensued, Representative Connolly shared his thoughts on current events, his perspective as Chairman of House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Relations, and some of his favorite stories from Capitol history. In particular, he movingly recounted the origin story of Freedom Triumphant in War in Peace, the statue which graces the Capitol Dome; the men who began making the statue as slaves were emancipated while it was in progress and were paid to finish the job. Representative Connolly spoke with great admiration for the Congress as an institution and the Capitol as a symbol of our democracy.

The Society thanks the Volkswagen Group of America for supporting this event.