The Society Invites You to Shop Our Holiday Catalogue--IN PERSON--This Thursday on Capitol Hill |
Ahead of the gift-giving season, the U.S. Capitol Historical Society invites you to our "holiday bazaar," during which we'll proudly make our Capitol and U.S. History gifts available for purchase--IN PERSON--this Thursday, November 4, and Thursday, November 18. Just come into our office building on Capitol Hill and we'll be waiting for you!
200 Maryland Avenue NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
p. 202-543-8919
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The U.S. Capitol Historical Society in the News!
The Society hopes you had a great Halloween weekend! We wanted to share with you a recent news clip from Fox News' Chad Pergram, featuring our very own Chief Tour Guide, Steve Livengood, and Director of Scholarship, Samuel Holliday!
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FOX News: US Capitol has its share of ghosts
It’s nearly Halloween. And if you cover Congress, that means you still have plenty of fodder for All Hallows Eve.
You've heard of "Tales from the Crypt." But how about tales from the Congressional crypt?
Some politicians naturally have skeletons in their closets. But some real skeletons haunt Capitol Hill.
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"Any building with a 200-plus-year history, and, especially, as fraught a history as has been seen in the United States Capitol, is bound to have some intrigue and perhaps a little bit of history that's difficult to explain," said Sam Holliday of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society.
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The military converted the Capitol Rotunda into a field hospital for Union soldiers during the Civil War. Capitol Hill veterans have reported sightings of those soldiers wandering the building even today.
"Some of them have continued to stay here. A lot of soldiers died here," said Steve Livengood of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society. "They were very idealistic at that point and their spirits would be here, making sure that we continue to carry out the ideas that they were fighting for. And, that they died for."
Read the full story and watch the video at:
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Tuesday Nov. 2, 12-1 PM ET
Webinar: Disparate Economic Impacts of the Gilded Age
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In part 4 of our symposium on the Gilded Age, our panel will discuss the disparate economic impacts of the era. Specifically, Professor Alexandra Harmon of the University of Washington will detail the economic status of Native Americans during this period, and Professor Jeannette Jones of the University of Nebraska will detail the economic status of African Americans during this time.
Beginning Oct. 12 through Nov. 9, the U.S. Capitol Historical Society has been proud to present its annual symposium, this year online and focused on the Gilded Age. From the rise of titans of industry like John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, to the impact of mass industrialization on the American workforce and economic inequality, explore how Congress reacted to this tumultuous era – and how we can still learn important lessons of the age.
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Thursday, Nov. 18 from 12-1pm ET
Webinar - George Washington's Final Battle: The Epic Struggle to Build a Capital City and a Nation
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On Thursday, Nov. 18, from 12-1 pm ET, join the USCHS as we discuss with historian Robert P. Watson his latest book: "George Washington's Final Battle."
Washington is remembered for leading the Continental Army to victory, presiding over the Constitutional Convention, and forging a new nation. But few know his crucial role in creating our capital city and how it nearly tore the nation apart. In "George Washington's Final Battle," Watson brings this tale to life, discussing Washington's backroom deals that built a Romanesque capital larger than London and Paris, the debate over the city's use of slave labor, the "Room Where it Happens" dinner party that brought the capital to the South, and the symbolism behind the design of the White House and the location of the U.S. Capitol.
For his efforts, Washington created a landmark, and one last time, gave credibility to our fledgling democracy, uniting a fractious country, and creating a sense of American identity.
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Tuesday, Nov. 16 from 12-1pm ET
Webinar: The True Story of the Pilgrims, Wampanoag Indians, and the "First Thanksgiving"
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In advance of Thanksgiving and the holiday season, join the USCHS on Tuesday, Nov. 16, as we talk with George Washington University Professor David J. Silverman, the author of one of the most highly cited books on U.S. history: "This Land Is Their Land: The Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled History of Thanksgiving"
The mythology of the Pilgrims and Thanksgiving continues to be taught in schools and passed down from one generation to the next. But why do some Native people currently hold a Day of Mourning on Thanksgiving? How did the Pilgrims' voyage to the "New World" become a prominent American origin story? When did the United States first celebrate Thanksgiving and how? And should Americans rethink their interpretation of the holiday?
Our webinar with Prof. Silverman will shed important light on fact vs. fiction as well as the complex relationship between the Wampanoag Indians and Pilgrims, their declared friendship, and the commitment to mutual defense that became a war just one generation after the "First Thanksgiving."
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Announcement: The U.S. Capitol Historical Society has officially launched our "January 6 Oral History Project" |
The U.S. Capitol Historical Society is part of a coalition of D.C.-based, national organizations that came together following the horrific events on January 6. We strongly believe that without an exhaustive study of what happened, the United States will be unable to prevent such an attack from again taking place. Unfortunately, today’s polarized political climate has made examining that fateful day nearly impossible. In response, the coalition asked the Society if we would conduct a large-scale oral history project to ensure that the facts of January 6 are not lost to time. We strongly agreed to, believing this project aligns with the mission of our organization and the best interests of the country we love.
We are not part of any investigative committee. We are a nonpartisan organization that is funded through private donations. We simply want to preserve these personal statements, photos, and videos for future generations of American citizens, scholars, and patriots.
That is why we encourage our supporters to visit our project's new website at January6History.org to learn more. We also hope that you will consider telling your story or contributing financial support for the U.S. Capitol Historical Society's "January 6 Oral History Project."
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Outside Tours of the
U.S. Capitol Are Back!
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For the first time in more than a year, join USCHS staff and trained volunteers for a walking tour of the Capitol Grounds focusing on (1) the Capitol as the “Temple of Democracy” or (2) Frederick Law Olmsted’s stunning landscape design.
Available by reservation on weeknights at 7:00pm until September 30th, the tours cost $30 per adult, $15 per youth ages 10-17, and are free for children ages 0-9. To learn more and book your tour, visit https://uschs.org/engage/tours-speakers-bureau/.
USCHS members receive one complementary tour per year; to book your member tour contact Tours@USCHS.org.
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Member Support
Makes it Possible!
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