IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 850 

Designating the House Press Gallery as the ‘‘Frederick Douglass Press 

Gallery’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 7, 2023 

Mr. DONALDS (for himself, Mr. CARSON, Mr. HUNT, Mr. JAMES, and Mr. 

OWENS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on House Administration 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the House Press Gallery as the ‘‘Frederick 

Douglass Press Gallery’’. 

Whereas Frederick Douglass was born to an enslaved family 

in 1818; 

Whereas Douglass bravely escaped slavery in 1838, and spent 

much of his adult life as a journalist in Rochester, New 

York; 

Whereas Douglass published his first newspaper, The North 

Star, using his own money in the pre-Civil War era; 

Whereas Douglass was known for fiercely opposing slavery, 

championing equal rights and women’s rights and for 

being a forceful speaker; 


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•HRES 850 IH 

Whereas, during the Civil War, Douglass was a recruiter for 

the first African-American army regiment; 

Whereas Douglass met twice with President Lincoln, first 

about the pay and treatment of Black soldiers and then 

to discuss the President’s desire to assist escaping slaves; 

Whereas after Douglass’ Rochester home was destroyed by 

fire (which Douglass believed resulted from arson), he 

moved his family to Anacostia in Washington, DC; 

Whereas, in 1870, Douglass was asked to become editor of 

the New National Era, which chronicled the progress of 

Blacks throughout the United States, and he later 

bought the paper; 

Whereas Douglass was the first Black reporter allowed into 

the Capitol press galleries, where journalists watch lawmakers on the floors of the Senate and the House of 

Representatives; 

Whereas Douglass was a member of the congressional press 

galleries from 1871–1875; 

Whereas Douglass reported on House and Senate legislation 

regularly to update the African-American community 

during Reconstruction following the 13th, 14th, and 15th 

Amendments to the Constitution; 

Whereas Douglass was recorded frequently in the congressional directory and spent a significant amount of time 

writing and studying from the House Press Gallery; 

Whereas Douglass often visited the Capitol following his time 

as a member of the congressional press galleries; 

Whereas Douglass delivered the keynote speech at the unveiling of the Emancipation Memorial in Washington’s Lincoln Park; 


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•HRES 850 IH 

Whereas, in 2007, Douglass was recognized by placing a 

plaque and painting of him in his honor in the House 

Press Gallery; 

Whereas, in 2012, Congress passed and the President signed 

Public Law 112–174, which directed Frederick Douglass’ 

statue placement in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center’s 

Emancipation Hall; and 

Whereas Douglass was a pioneer in journalism who broke 

through glass ceilings throughout one of the most crucial 

times in American history, exacerbated great perseverance to become an American hero, and became a legend 

known in the House Press Gallery: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House Press Gallery is designated 

2 as the ‘‘Frederick Douglass Press Gallery’’. 

Æ 


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