Frederick Douglass statue dedicated in U.S. Capitol

[Tx4obama]

Frederick Douglass statue dedicated in U.S. Capitol

Washington (CNN) - A statue honoring the legacy of abolitionist, author and statesman Frederick Douglass was unveiled Wednesday in the United States Capitol.

Hundreds of people filled Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for a ceremony dedicating the seven-foot bronze statue.

The former slave who became a champion for civil rights in the 19th century is now the fourth African-American with a statue in the Capitol, and the first representative of the District of Columbia. Emancipation Hall is also home to statues of Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth and Martin Luther King Jr.

House Speaker John Boehner organized and led the event, which was attended by descendants of Frederick Douglass, local leaders, members of Congress and Vice President Joe Biden.

Lawmakers who spoke at the ceremony seized the opportunity to discuss the District of Columbia’s lack of voting representation in Congress and to push for D.C. statehood. Douglass was a leader of a District suffrage movement more than century ago.

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Full article and photo here: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/19/frederick-douglass-statue-dedicated-in-u-s-capitol/

[Cooley Hurd]

1. Emancipation Hall in the Visitor's Center? Not Statuary Hall???

[Tx4obama]

2. More info below

With Capitol statue of Frederick Douglass, D.C. gets some respect

WASHINGTON — The towering statue of abolitionist Frederick Douglass that’s standing in the atrium of a Washington government office building has been a symbol-in-waiting – until now.

Congress approved and the president signed a bill in September that directs the move of the Civil War-era icon’s image to the Capitol’s Emancipation Hall, where it will be one of only three African-American statues in the complex.

It will be the first time that a statue in the Capitol will represent the District of Columbia, which is excluded from the Capitol’s Statuary Hall collection because it isn’t a state. The 1864 law that created the hall entitles every state to display two statues of distinguished residents who are deceased, at the states’ cost.

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Full article here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/11/19/174871/with-capitol-statue-of-frederick.html#.UcI3f9h0mAY

The whole article is interesting

[Cooley Hurd]

5. More taxation w/o (honorary) representation...

He spent a BUNCH of time on Rochester NY. Why not allow him in Statuary Hall on behalf of NY??

[Tx4obama]

7. Each state can have only two statues. The two New York already have are ...

George Clinton (vice president)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clinton_%28vice_president%29

Robert R. Livingston (chancellor)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Livingston_%281746-1813%29


Full list of the 50 states 100 statues here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statuary_Hall#Statues

[Cooley Hurd]

8. Neither are as important as Frederick Douglass

[Tx4obama]

9. I agree but that would probably be up to New York to decide.

I like the fact that Douglas is at the Capital representing D.C.

[Rhiannon12866]

10. Very interesting and pretty cool! And D.C. finally has representation... ;)

I saw the ones in the visitors' center when I was there in April, really well done. I took pix of a couple that I liked best:


Jeannette Rankin, first female member of Congress - ex-Montana



Helen Keller ex-Alabama

[Cha]

3. Here's a tweet pic of VP Biden Dedicating the statue of Frederick Douglass..

Office of VP Biden ✔ @VP

PHOTO: VP Biden speaks at a ceremony dedicating a statue of Frederick Douglass at the @uscapitol today. (WH Photo) pic.twitter.com/aovcBudPWP9:15 AM - 19 Jun 2013



thank you, Tx

[Tx4obama]

4. Thanks for the photo! And regarding Biden...

WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday used a tribute to 19th-century abolitionist Frederick Douglass to renew the call for equal voting rights for people who live in the nation's capital.

During a ceremony unveiling a statue of Douglass in the Capitol, Biden hailed Douglass' work advocating equal justice, and noted that Douglass supported complete voting rights for residents of the District of Columbia, where Douglass once lived.

Although each of the 50 states was allowed two statues of notable citizens in the Capitol, the District of Columbia was not allowed any statue until a measure passed by Congress last year. Residents chose to honor Douglass, whose home near the Anacostia River is a national historic site.

Biden said he and President Barack Obama back Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District's nonvoting delegate to Congress, in her effort to bring statehood and full voting rights to the city.

"The people of the District made the right choice in selecting Frederick Douglass as their representative, and they put both Eleanor Holmes Norton and Frederick Douglass in this Capitol and, quite frankly, I don't see either of them leaving until all the District residents get their voice," the vice president said.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/19/frederick-douglass-statue-us-capitol-emancipation-hall_n_3464537.html

[Cha]

6. Wonderful, Tx!

Thank you.. Hope someday soon!