Jesse J. Holland
House approves marker on role of slaves in Capitol
WASHINGTON — The House on Tuesday acknowledged the use of African-American slaves in the construction of the U.S. Capitol, ordering officials to place a marker inside the new Capitol Visitor Center using some of the original stone quarried by those slaves for the historic building.
“This physical and permanent marker will pay tribute to the blood, sweat and tears of the African-American slaves who helped build this magnificent building and ensure that their story is told and never, never, ever forgotten,” said Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga. The vote was 399-1, with Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, the lone dissenter. The Senate is considering a similar measure.
The House resolution orders the Architect of the Capitol to place in a prominent location in the visitor center’s Emancipation Hall a marker acknowledging the role that slave labor played in constructing the Capitol.
“Far too often the detailed rise of our Capitol building fails to recognize the vital contributions by slave laborers,” said Rep. Gregg Harper, R-Miss.
Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., said some of those original stones were removed from the Capitol during a renovation and have been held in storage. “We must acknowledge the sacrifices of those Americans who, without choice, worked to build a government that kept them in bondage,” he said.
Lawmakers have been looking for ways to honor the slaves that were used in the construction of government buildings, including the Capitol and the White House.
Congress already has named the largest room in the visitor center Emancipation Hall in their honor.
Historians have discovered that slaves worked 12-hour days, six days a week on the construction of the Capitol. The federal government rented the slaves from local slave owners at a rate of $5 per person per month. The slaves were not paid.
In addition to working on the building, slaves worked in quarries where they extracted the stone for the Capitol. Other slaves provided carpentry skills, still others for sawing stone and timber.
Slave women and children were used to mold clay in kilns.
The House also took up a resolution directing the Architect of the Capitol to engrave the Pledge of Allegiance and the national motto “In God We Trust” in conspicuous places in the three-story underground visitor center. The Senate passed the same resolution Monday night as part of a spending bill. A House vote was expected Wednesday.
The measure was promoted in the Senate by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., who had threatened to delay the opening of the center in December because he said it glorified the role of government while ignoring America’s religious foundations. “From the beginning many of us were concerned about what looked like a historical whitewash of our nation’s faith heritage from the Capitol Visitor Center,” he said Monday.
“It appears the visitor center, the way it is conducted and constructed, wishes to disown and deny our religious heritage,” said Ted Poe, R-Texas. The measure was sponsored in the House by Rep. Dan Lungren, D-Calif.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the engraving costs would be less than $100,000.
On the Net:
Capitol Visitor Center: www.visitthecapitol.gov
Related News
Happy birthday to the Tennessee State Capitol, turning 150September 30th, 2009 Not-so-ordinary Tennessee State Capitol is 150NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In this city of songs and sequins, it's not a honky-tonk.
Israel approves construction of 366 West Bank apartments, plans 84 moreSeptember 7th, 2009 Israel approves 366 new West Bank apartmentsJERUSALEM — Israel has officially approved construction of 366 new apartments in the West Bank. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Monday that he intends to soon approve about 84 more.
Kurt Cobain quote on granite marker in Aberdeen, Wash., park sparks controversyAugust 4th, 2009 Granite quote in WA park sparks Cobain controversyABERDEEN, Wash. — The late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain is igniting a new controversy in his hometown of Aberdeen, Wash.
Reports of gunfire near CapitolJuly 15th, 2009 Police seal off part of CapitolWASHINGTON — Police sealed off some of the entrances to the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday after apparent gunfire erupted a few blocks away.
Miss. officials approve historical marker for infamous 1964 slayings of civil rights workersJune 18th, 2009 Miss. civil rights slayings to get historic markerPHILADELPHIA, Miss. — Mississippi officials say a historical marker can be placed on a state highway near where three civil rights workers were murdered in 1964.
Police evacuate US Capitol visitor center after suspicious package discovered near entranceJune 9th, 2009 Capitol visitor center evacuated for packageWASHINGTON — Police have evacuated the massive Capitol Visitor Center after finding a suspicious package at its entrance. Capitol Police say they are investigating whether the package is dangerous.
Power out for about an hour at Missouri Capitol, some people briefly stuck in elevatorsMay 12th, 2009 Power outage blacks out Missouri CapitolJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri legislators have spent about an hour in the dark because of a power outage at the state Capitol in Jefferson City.
Activists marching from US Capitol to White House to protest torture, detention policiesApril 30th, 2009 Anti-torture activists march to White HouseWASHINGTON — More than 100 anti-torture activists are marching solemnly from the U.S. Capitol to the White House.
First lady Michelle Obama to help honor abolitionist Sojourner Truth with bust at CapitolApril 28th, 2009 First lady to honor abolitionist Sojourner TruthWASHINGTON — Sojourner Truth, a former slave who met with Abraham Lincoln and was an early crusader for women's right to vote and an end to slavery, is the first black woman to be honored with a bust at the Capitol. First lady Michelle Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are expected to take part Tuesday in unveiling the abolitionist's statue at the Capitol Visitor Center.
First lady Michelle Obama helps honor abolitionist Sojourner Truth with bust at CapitolApril 28th, 2009 First lady honors abolitionist Sojourner TruthWASHINGTON — First lady Michelle Obama on Tuesday reflected on her own family's rise from slavery to the White House as she helped to unveil a statue of abolitionist Sojourner Truth — the first black woman to be so honored at the Capitol. "I hope that Sojourner Truth would be proud to see me, a descendant of slaves, serving as the first lady of the United States of America," Mrs.
Capitol briefly evacuated, White House temporarily locked down for errant airplaneApril 24th, 2009 Capitol briefly evacuated, White House locked downWASHINGTON — The White House was placed in temporary lockdown Friday and steps taken to evacuate the U.S. Capitol after a plane entered restricted airspace.
Your vacation photos are safe: Monument really does mark Four Corners, though it was a bit offApril 23rd, 2009 Marker was off, but Four Corners monument legitSALT LAKE CITY — Many a family touring the Southwest has made a stop in Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado — all at the same time. Or have they?
News reports this week that the site of the Four Corners monument was off by a whopping 2½ miles drummed up some concern that anyone who ever got down on their hands and knees to touch four states at once had lived a bit of a lie.
Correction: Four Corners marker storyApril 22nd, 2009 Correction: Four Corners marker storySALT LAKE CITY — In an April 20 story about the location of the Four Corners marker, The Associated Press erroneously reported that the monument is 2.5 miles west of where it should be. Instead, according to Dave Doyle of the National Geodetic Survey, the monument marking the intersection of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah is about 1,807 feet east of where it should have been placed in 1875.
Obamas inherit a White House built by black slavesJanuary 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Barack Obama and his family would make history Tuesday as the first black first family to move into the White House, a mansion largely built by slaves, who also helped shape the national capital. And until the Civil War, when Obama's idol Abraham Lincoln freed slaves, 12 American presidents owned slaves and eight of them, starting with George Washington, owned slaves while in office.
Slaves built Capitol steps where Obama will standJanuary 16th, 2009 SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON - There will be no shortage of potent moments when Barack Obama stands on the steps on the West Front of the US Capitol Jan 20 to be sworn in as the 44th president of the US. But few will match the poignancy of the fact that the first African-American president will be standing on a structure that was largely built by black slaves; that he will be sworn in using a Bible that was used by Abraham Lincoln, the martyred president who fought a Civil War to end slavery; or that he will be gazing down at the National Mall where Martin Luther King Jr inspired the civil-rights movement with his 1963 'I Have A Dream' speech.
Loading ...