Designating the House Press Gallery as the "Frederick Douglass Press Gallery".

Bill: 118-hres-850
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Donalds, Byron [R-FL-19]
Introduced: 2023-11-07
Policy area: Congress
Subjects: U.S. Capitol

U.S. history
Latest action: action_date: 2023-11-07
text: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-11-07
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This resolution designates the House Press Gallery as the Frederick Douglass Press Gallery.</p>

tv_txt: IV 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 850 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; 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; 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

That the House Press Gallery is designated as the Frederick Douglass Press Gallery .