Senate bill would allow Frederick Douglass statue in Capitol

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June 18, 2012

By Ben Pershing, The Washington Post

Douglas's Statue may come to the Capital — Douglas’s Statue may come to the Capital

The D.C. spending bill approved by a Senate panel this week would help the District government stay open in the event of a federal shutdown and would allow the city to place a statue of abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass in the halls of the Capitol, advancing a pair of key priorities for local leaders.

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) has also been working for years to win for the District the right to put statues of two local luminaries in the halls of Congress, a privilege currently afforded to the 50 states but not U.S. territories. Completed statues of Douglass and architect Pierre L’Enfant have been sitting at One Judiciary Square awaiting permission to enter the Capitol.

Read more of the story here.

Read one of Douglass’ notable speeches.

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