Remembering January 6: A Day When Democracy Proved Stronger than Terror |
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January 6, 2021, was one of the darkest days in our nation’s history, claiming several lives and injuring more than 100 others. The throng of insurrectionists who attacked the U.S. Capitol did more than protest the outcome of a free and fair election. They sought to harm Members of Congress and disrupt one of the cornerstones of American democracy: the peaceful transfer of power.
But that is what made the actions of Capitol employees all the more remarkable following the attack. The cleaning crew labored to pick up the pieces while Congressmen and their staffs stood firm, returned to work, and certified the election. What they exemplified in the aftermath of the insurrection was that democracy is stronger than terror, and our government of the people, by the people, and for the people, refused to perish.
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It is for this reason that the U.S. Capitol Historical Society gave our 2021 Freedom Award to the Congressional leaders who worked in a bipartisan manner to oversee the certification of the 2020 presidential election: the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Roy Blunt (R-MO); and the Chair of the House Administration Committee, U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). The Freedom Award is presented annually to individuals who exhibit extraordinary dedication to freedom, democracy, and representative government. It is named for the statue that graces the Capitol’s Dome: Freedom.
Our Founders knew that a new nation, conceived in Liberty, would only survive if our citizens believe in the principles of democracy and our leaders fight to uphold the U.S. Constitution. In the wake of the attack on January 6, Senators Klobuchar and Blunt, and Representative Lofgren, put country before party to certify the results of a free and fair election. More than protecting ballots, their courage and dedication to democracy protected the American way of life.
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Unfortunately, today’s polarized political climate makes examining that fateful day nearly impossible. To ensure that its stories are never lost to time, the U.S. Capitol Historical Society is conducting a January 6 Oral History Project to preserve these memories, and their lessons, for future generations of American citizens, scholars, and patriots. The Society invites the Capitol Hill and Congressional communities to participate in the project, including Capitol Hill residents, Members and staffs of both parties, U.S. Capitol building employees, and the families of any person impacted by January 6. Among the partners and allies of the “January 6 Oral History Project” is the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF), Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), Former Members of Congress (FMC), and Alliance for Congress.
Those interested can share their story and learn more about the project at January6History.org. For those seeking temporary or long-term anonymity, your options are stated in the project’s screening form.
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The U.S. Capitol Historical Society in the News
Associated Press: Recalling Jan. 6: A national day of infamy, half remembered
Beneath a pale winter light and the glare of television cameras, it seemed hard not to see the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot for what it was. The violent storming of the Capitol by Donald Trump supporters bent on upending the election of Joe Biden was as clear as day: democracy under siege, live-streamed in real time. Yet a year later, when it comes to a where-were-you moment in U.S. history, there is far from national consensus.
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Instead of receding into the past as an anomalous threat to the heart of American democracy, the history of the Capitol riot is yet to be fully written. Some projects are ongoing. To tell the story of Jan. 6, the Capitol Historical Society is creating an oral history. Some of the stories — like those of staffers who have since quit government and returned home — are particularly haunting for the society’s president, Jane L. Campbell.
Meanwhile, the Capitol remains closed to the public. Where tours once regularly paraded, now only those with an appointment may enter.
“When people say ‘Oh, it’s never been this bad,’ well, we did have a civil war. That was bad. That was truly bad,” Campbell says. “But during the Civil War, Lincoln made a decision to finish the dome of the Capitol. We tell that story a hundred times over.”
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Thursday, Jan. 13, at 12 pm ET
Webinar: The History of Congressional Investigations
In the New Year, the USCHS will partner with the Levin Center as it releases 15 Portraits in Oversight that describe important congressional investigations and trace the key figures who played a significant role in that history. From 1792 to the present, they include inquiries into the Civil War, covert CIA operations, Enron, and Watergate, and such figures as Representatives John Dingell and Elijah Cummings, and Senators Harry Truman and Joe McCarthy. Our panel of historians will explore the role of congressional oversight in our history and how these investigations influenced our understanding of the American story.
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