HRES 137119th CongressIn Committee

Resolution designating the House Press Gallery (Rooms H-315, H-316, H-317, H-318, and H-319 in the United States Capitol) as the 'Frederick Douglass Press Gallery’

Introduced: Feb 14, 2025

Civil Rights & Justice

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This resolution designates the rooms of the House Press Gallery (H-315, H-316, H-317, H-318, and H-319) in the United States Capitol as the “Frederick Douglass Press Gallery.” It presents Frederick Douglass as a pioneering journalist and civil rights advocate—emphasizing his role as the first Black reporter allowed into the Capitol press galleries, his contributions to abolition and equal rights, and his ongoing legacy in American history. The act is a symbolic designation, not a law or spending measure, and it centers on honoring Douglass’s life and work by naming a specific set of gallery rooms after him.

Key Points

1The House Press Gallery rooms H-315 through H-319 are officially renamed the “Frederick Douglass Press Gallery.”
2The designation is made through a House of Representatives resolution (H. Res. 137) in the 119th Congress, i.e., a symbolic naming rather than substantive policy or funding.
3The resolution highlights Douglass’s achievements as a journalist and abolitionist, and his pioneering status as the first Black reporter in the Capitol press galleries during Reconstruction.
4It cites Douglass’s long association with journalism and his time reporting from the House and Senate, underpinning the rationale for the naming.
5The resolution places the designation within a broader context of prior recognitions of Douglass (a 2007 plaque/painting in the House Press Gallery and a 2012 statue in the Capitol), underscoring a continuing effort to honor his legacy.

Impact Areas

Primary: Members of the House Press Gallery and the congressional press corps, who will reference and operate within the designated space named after Douglass.Secondary: African American journalists and historians, whose work and history are foregrounded by this commemorative designation.Additional impacts: Public and educational value through enhanced recognition of Douglass’s contributions; potential implications for signage and official references within the Capitol (no funding or policy changes are introduced).

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